youth employment: new challenges in knowledge- based … · 2019-12-15 · re-structuring the...

Presentation atUnited States / European Union

Roundtable“Youth Employment:

New Challenges in Knowledge-based Economies”The US Youth Challenge

January 28 -29, 2008

Linda Harris

Director, Youth Policy

Center for Law and Social Policy

VISION: “The Nation’s neediest youth will acquire the talents, skills, and knowledge necessary to ensure their healthy transition to successful adult roles and responsibilities.”

CHALLENGESClosing the skills and earnings gap

Re-structuring the education pipeline

Reconnecting our vulnerable youth populations

Shifting the paradigms of our youth serving systems

The Labor Market Challenge

►US Economy is projected to add 15 million jobs by 2016 – half will require post-secondary credentials

►80% of fastest growing occupations will require advanced skills – health, technology, human services, environmental science

4789

1087

1072

2022

6631

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000

4 year degree or more

2 year degree

post-sec award

long term ojt

short term training

Projected Number Employment Growth 2006-2016 by Level of Education Required

(in thousands)

Labor Market Challenge (cont)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Labor Market Challenge (cont)

►The fastest growing segment of our labor force has the lowest level of educational attainment

►Given Current trends, 7 million new dropouts will be added to workforce, far outpacing the number new entrants with college degrees.

Source: National Center for Higher Education Management Systems

Labor Market Challenge (cont)

►Fixing the K-12 pipeline will not be sufficient to address the skills deficits in the labor market

►For our economic competitiveness, for quality of life in our communities, for equity of opportunity, we must bring our disconnected youth into the economic mainstream.

Dimensions of the Youth Problem

►Estimated between 3.8 and 5 million youth 16 to 24 are out of school and out of work

►One half million drop out every year►203,382 adolescents are under the

jurisdiction of our foster care system► Teen unemployment rate lowest in 57

years►50% unemployment rate for black men 16

to 24 who are not in school

►Approximately one-third of all the young black men are involved in the criminal justice system

►120,000 are incarcerated in juvenile facilities

►Estimated 24,000 gangs and 760,000 gang members

Dimensions of the Problem (cont)

The Education Pipeline is Broken

Earn a college degree

High School EntryFor every 10 students who begin

7 will get a HS Diploma

4 will enroll in CollegeOnly 2

will

Crisis for Poor and Minority Youth

68

78

5652

34

40

23 20

01020304050607080

TotalWhiteBlackHispanic

Percent of 9th

grade students that graduate high school

Percent of 9th grade students that graduate ready for college

Source: J. Greene, Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, Education Working Paper no 8, February 2005.

Challenge:Shifting Paradigms of Youth Systems

.

.

.

.

Workforce

Education Justice

Welfare

Foster Care

Health

YOUTH

Addressing this issue at scale means “ALL SYSTEMS ON BOARD”

►Systems subject to different governance –federal, state, local - little coordination

►No formal convener – Youth Councils have mixed success

►Accountability systems lacking – no one accountable for the population of dropouts

►All the systems are under-resourced

Challenge:Shifting Paradigms of Youth Systems

Key Elements of Effective Practice

SYSTEM BUILDING

PROGRAM DELIVERY

Quality Management

Data / Accountability

Cross System Coordination

Alignment &Articulation Agreements

Caring Adult Support

Well Developed Education Component

Rich Workplace Connections

Youth Involvement/ Civic Engagement

Connections to Systems and resources

Challenge: Building the “On the Ground” Capacity