graduates: an at-risk group?
DESCRIPTION
Presentation made at the Futures 24 conference in Collingwood, OntarioTRANSCRIPT
Donnalee Bell Senior Consultant
Graduates: The New At-Risk Group?
What’s the concern for today’s graduates? A look at what the research says
Highlight some of the initiatives working to get grads working
Look at the recommendations from the Research
Examine and consult with you on the need for a School-to-Work Action Group in Canada
Session Outline
Who are They? According to OECD (2010):
Youth with qualifications (diplomas or degrees)
Stuck in temporary work, unemployment or inactivity even in times of economic growth
Poorly Integrated New Entrants (PINEs)
Global PINE growth in Europe and US Represent 450,000 Canadian Youth Particularly vulnerable during and since the
2008 Recession In Canada, we are not connecting with a vital
talent pool in a time of skill shortage
Educated but not Employable - This is the labour market paradox for Gen Y!
PINEs: Why are They a Concern?
Not Bad (pre-recession) In “Off to a Good Start,” (2010) the OECD painted
a rosy picture for Canadian youth Smooth transitions (75% of youth find
permanent and full-time work) Youth move from low-wage to higher wage jobs
quickly Long-term unemployment low Canadian youth graduate with significant work
experience
How Bad is it in Canada?
Bad (pre and post-recession) Under-employment number 2nd highest in OECD
since 2005 More and more youth are in precarious
employment (temporary contracts, part-time) Persistently high unemployment (in general and
in the summer months) impacting ability to gain workplace skills
Glut of university generalists that don’t directly connect with the labour market
How Bad is it in Canada?
An Hourglass Labour Market High Sensitivity of Youth to Labour Market
Fluctuations Lack of Career Education and Services and
Safety Nets The Education-Labour Market Disconnect
What are the Barriers for Graduates?
The Hourglass Labour Market• Growth of knowledge worker jobs
and entry level jobs• Career progression has
fundamentally changed• Glut of PSE graduate raises the
credential level of both poles• Youth getting stuck in service sector
jobs they work in during school• Need for career management skills
to maneuver in this labour market
Chart 1: Ontario Job Distribution by Skill Categories, Ontario 1991-2006 (Zizys, 2011, 27)
Last in and first out phenomenon Disproportionate numbers of youth hit
because they are working in sectors hardest hit by recessions (e.g. construction and retail)
PINEs may fall through the service cracks
Sensitivity to Labour Market Fluctuations
Lack of consistency Vulnerability to government funding
priorities Youth specific service is dwindling (e.g.
Ontario) Research confirms the need for high-quality
career guidance = 1. highly qualified professionals; 2. timely and accessible local LMI
Lack of Career Education/Service and Safety Nets
Too many youth with the same qualification Over-qualification of the entry level PSE institutions that are not making the link
to the labour market Employers not investing in the training of
youth or their youth hires
The Education-Labour Market Disconnect
Early Integration Strategies
Post-graduation Strategies
Demand-side Strategies Strategies for Diverse Groups
PINEs: What Works?
Career service delivery in advance of graduation that includes: Work experience, Career management skills training, Clear information on pathways to the labour
market Career planning that helps youth be intentional
with their careers Canada’s approach in this area is fragmented
Early Integration Strategies
University of Regina (UR) Guarantee Program (Saskatchewan)
Guarantees a free year of tuition to students in the program who do not secure career related employment within 6-months of graduating.
The program consists of:
Transitional support services Regular academic advising Exam preparation Time management
workshops Career development
seminars Co-op programs Mock interview exercises Networking events
Goals to increase secondary school graduation rate to 95% and have 50% complete a higher credential
All ages policy starting in Grade 8 All labour market pathways are identified and supported Services include:
eGuidance Specific Youth Guidance Centres focused on all education and
work transitions points Wide stakeholder involvement through national dialogue
forums Guidance counsellor training requirements Centre of Guidance Research has been established to
build an evidence-base Policy backed by appropriate funding resources
The Guidance Act (Denmark)
Includes: graduate guarantee programs subsidies and supports for
entrepreneurs graduate databases graduate access to income support work experiences (internships)
Post-Graduation Strategies
A local community-based program to help secondary school graduates on income support find work or enter further training
Participants take part in a 3 month intensive training to build employability skills, increase self-esteem, health and fitness
60% of participants find work and are able to support themselves, 13% enrol in university or college, 6% receive vocational training
Program has saved municipality 14 million SEK (approx. 2 million CAD)
Work Factory (Sweden)
Includes: Wage subsidies and subsidies to
accommodate apprentices Employer partnerships with education Outreach to employers to participate
in early and post-graduation programs
Demand-Side Strategies
Inclusion of key stakeholder groups including employers who plan locally to address youth unemployment by providing a series of needed interventions to high school students including: career planning, work experience, pathways to employment, pre-employment training, and building school/teacher capacity
Partnership Brokers (Australia)
Policies and programs aimed at PINEs need to look at the full PINEs population as well as specifically at diverse groups
Diversity Strategies
Program to support diversity recruitment issues within the organization
Recognition that programs need to include the young person’s community in the process
The Aboriginal Youth Work Exchange Program (Ontario)
“A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.”
Wayne Gretzky
Moving Forward…
National School-to-Work Policy Research Service Delivery Reform Focus on Clear and Alternative
Pathways to the Labour Market
Recommendations
In terms of school-to-work policy/strategy, what’s already working?
What are the main issues that need to be addressed?
Your thoughts…
Read the School-to-Work Action Group purpose statement.
In your opinion, would an action group be a good vehicle to address these issues?
What needs to happen to create this group and to make it strong?
Action Group Consultation
Literature Review and Research Report on PINEs is available at:
www.ccdf.ca