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
