Creating Work Experience Opportunities for Youth in

Washington State

Presented ToWorkforce Training and Education Coordinating Board

Brian Humphrey, Northwest Workforce CouncilDawn Karber, Spokane WDC

July 27, 2011Olympia, Washington

Thank you, WTECB staff and board members.

Creating Work Experience

Opportunities for Youth in Washington

State

Low-income teens and young adults have been hardest hit by Great Recession.

Teen lacking work history are competing with experienced adults for jobs – credentials are critical.

Messaging importance of “work ready” to K-12 system.

Certain State regulations make it difficult for our largest industries to support youth work experience.

Apply lessons learned at local level. Consensus: A statewide marketing

campaign needed.

Overview

Employers. Educators. Youth. Workforce and economic developers. Community-based organizations.

Employers. Educators. Youth. Workforce and economic developers. Community-based organizations.

EmployersManufacturing Skill PanelEconomic development WIA Youth programsCareer and Technical

Education Community collegesVolunteers of America

YouthBuildJobs for America’s Graduates Workforce Development

CouncilsJuvenile justice Tech PrepHomeless/teen shelters GED classrooms

Feedback was collected from around the state

Think back…

What was your first job?What type of jobs were you allowed to do? Does it differ

from what is available to teens today?Did you keep the same job throughout your teen years or

have multiple summer jobs? Was experiencing a variety of bosses critical in your development?

Young adults most affected by Great Recession (WA)

Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female

16 to 19 years 20.0 15.1 27.0 24.3 36.5 25.6 46.1 24.2

20 to 24 years 10.2 7.7 11.0 4.4 15.2 12.1 20.5 14.0

25 to 34 years 3.5 3.9 5.2 3.4 10.7 5.8 10.1 9.8

35 to 44 years 3.7 3.0 4.8 3.9 9.7 7.0 9.7 7.4

45 to 54 years 2.8 3.1 3.3 3.6 6.2 5.6 7.3 6.7

55 to 64 years 4.1 3.9 4.0 4.2 8.9 5.3 9.0 6.3

65 years and over 4.2 2.3 2.0 NA 8.4 2.9 12.4 5.7

2007 2008 2009 2010Age Group

Source: Washington State Employment Security Department, Labor Market and Economic Analysis (from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS))

Employment growth by cohort (national)

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

55+ employees in labor force increasing (national)

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

Youth employment is decreasing nationally

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

45 to 54

35 to 44

25 to 34

20 to 24

18 to 19

16 to 19

16 to 17

US Employment to Population Ratio in Percent by Age Groups

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

Low-income teens and young adults have been hit the hardest by the Great Recession

Moved from a time where greater than 50% of youth worked in the summer, now just 29% have a summer job.

Higher-income Caucasian families - 40% of teens had a job last summer.

Low-income African-American family - just 9% had a job last summer.

Source: Bill Symonds, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Pathways to Prosperity

Low-income minority youth most likely to be unemployed

Source: Vanishing Act: Watching the Teen Summer Job Market Disappear, Center for Labor Market Studies, Northeastern University, July 5, 2011

Employment Rates of Teens (16-19) in

Selected Household Income/Race-Ethnic

Groupsin the U.S. during

the Summer of 2010

What are our youth doing if they are not working?

Of the 63,386 high school graduates in 2008-09, 64% enrolled in postsecondary. The remaining 36% were presumed to be working or decided not to attend college for other reasons.

In Washington State, approximately 12 of 100 high school students will graduate from a university.

Source: Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board

Teenage pregnancy rates decreasing (WA)

Source: Center for Health Statistics, Washington State Department of Health, 09/2010.

Probation filings decreasing in Skagit County

Source: Skagit County

Comparing one high school’s planned versus actual post graduation activities

Source: Anonymous high school in Washington State

Planned post-high school activity2010-2011

Actual post-high school activity2010-2011

We have a youth employment problem, so what do we do about it?

1. Reevaluate Washington State employment, program, and education policies and regulations.

2. Learn from local successes.3. Increase ability for youth to compete in labor market.4. Increase awareness - launch a marketing campaign.

Explore incentives for providing work opportunities.

Reevaluate Washington State regulations for providing experience opportunities in the following industries:

• Manufacturing/Aerospace• Healthcare • Construction

Explore incentives for providing work opportunities.

Reevaluate Washington State regulations for providing experience opportunities in the following industries:

• Manufacturing/Aerospace• Healthcare • Construction

1. Reevaluate Washington State regulations

Remove additional performance measures – focus on core competencies.

Align youth performance measures and timelines - you are not able to learn it until you are ready to learn it.

Align funding cycles and program planning.

We need services to reach more than the “eligible” populations.

Remove additional performance measures – focus on core competencies.

Align youth performance measures and timelines - you are not able to learn it until you are ready to learn it.

Align funding cycles and program planning.

We need services to reach more than the “eligible” populations.

Employment regulationsEmployment regulations Program regulations Program regulations

Reengaging in education too difficult - GED, college, etc.

Require certifications for all youth graduating high school, even those planning on college.

Award high school credits for credentials including drivers license.

Increase career counseling and Worksite Learning Coordinators in the high schools.

Reengaging in education too difficult - GED, college, etc.

Require certifications for all youth graduating high school, even those planning on college.

Award high school credits for credentials including drivers license.

Increase career counseling and Worksite Learning Coordinators in the high schools.

1. Reevaluate Washington State regulations (cont.)

Education regulationsEducation regulations

Require all high school students to complete the FASFA before graduation.

Preparation of CTE teachers and courses tied to industry.

Develop multiple diverse pathways leading from high school to postsecondary and career.

Too difficult to get caught up if fall behind.

Require all high school students to complete the FASFA before graduation.

Preparation of CTE teachers and courses tied to industry.

Develop multiple diverse pathways leading from high school to postsecondary and career.

Too difficult to get caught up if fall behind.

Feedback from students and teachers There is not enough individual help in high school

so students get lost and don’t get caught back up.

There needs to be smaller class sizes in high schools.

There is the threat of loosing summer school and credit retrieval programs in high school due to budget cuts, so once you are behind you can’t get caught up.

It is hard to find GED programs that are available. I was homeschooled and then my mom got

arrested. GED testing should be more accessible. There

should be more community sites. Have GED practice tests available at public

libraries. More volunteers in high schools so kids don’t get

behind in the first place.

Education regulations

Spokane Spokane NorthwestNorthwest

Spokane Hire a Youth Month Work Ready Spokane Next Generation Zone Energy, construction,

healthcare cohorts

Northwest Project ALERT FOC OIG/OIP

2. Local successes

3. Increase ability for youth to

compete in labor

market.

Credentials

Volunteer experiences

Youth entrepreneurship

If we cannot create a job for a young person, we have to help them understand how to be

more competitive in the labor market.

General/Statewide General/Statewide Shop Local, Train Local/High

School is Not Enough http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wNJHdmk0vY&feature=rela

ted http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoG0c8ajd9I&NR=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d59cb-gQx_4&feature=relate

d

All Work is Important (Mike Rowe) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3h_pp8CHEQ0

Everyone Works – Career and College Readiness

4. Increase awareness - launch a marketing campaign

Schools/School Administration Schools/School Administration

Brian HumphreyWorkSource Administrator Skagit & Island CountiesNorthwest Workforce Council360.416.3510

Dawn KarberAssistant Director – Workforce Operations Spokane Area Workforce Development Council509.625.6213

Creating Work Experience

Opportunities for Youth in Washington

State