graduates: an at-risk group?

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