Education, Employment, & the Military

Moving toward independence presents youth aged 16 to 24 with a number of opportunities — and challenges. The stakes are high for this age group; 16- to 24-year-olds are forging pathways to postsecondary education, training, and employment, and for youth with additional challenges, these transitions are even more difficult.

Education

• In 2007, 16% of all young people aged 16 to 24 were high-school dropouts – approximately 6.2 million people.¹
• Between 20 and 25% of today's 14-year-olds will drop out of high school; approximately half will return to school and earn their diplomas or obtain GEDs by the time they reach age 25.²
• Four years after leaving foster care, 46% of young people lack a high-school diploma.³
• One in eight young people never earn a high-school diploma or GED.⁴
• The cost of an effective two-year program to re-engage dropouts is estimated to be approximately $20,000.⁵
• Special education students are more than twice as likely as their peers in general education to drop out of high school.⁶
• More than half of youth identified with mental health needs will drop out of school, and only 5 to 20% will enter postsecondary education.⁷
• Youth with disabilities are half as likely as their peers without disabilities to participate in postsecondary education.⁸
• Eighty percent of new jobs require at least some postsecondary education.⁹

Employment

• Unemployment among teenagers aged 16 to 19 was 26.7% in November 2009.¹⁰ In 2008, young men aged 16 to 19 experienced higher rates of unemployment than young women of the same age (21.2% vs. 16.2%). Young men aged 20 to 24 also experienced higher rates of unemployment than young women aged 20 to 24 (11.4% vs. 8.8%). These are the highest unemployment rates of any age group.¹¹
• In 1989, 57% of youth aged 16 to 19 were involved in summer employment; that figure was 37% in 2008. Employment rates for young people during the summer of 2008 were at a 60-year low.¹²
• Of the 3.4 million dropouts aged 16 to 24 in 2006 who had not reenrolled in school, only half were employed.¹³
• The median income of a high-school dropout is $18,000, compared to $25,000 for a high-school graduate.¹⁴
• Unemployment and poverty-level wages are common among youth aging out of foster care and leaving incarceration.¹⁵
• Youth with disabilities continue to experience high unemployment as well as insufficient opportunities to obtain competitive employment with the potential of career growth.¹⁶

Military Involvement

• About 184,000 personnel must be recruited into the Armed Forces each year to replace those who complete their commitment or retire. All branches of the Armed Forces require members to be high-school graduates or have equivalent credentials such as the GED.¹⁷
• The Army Times¹⁸ reported that 35% of the roughly 31.2 million Americans aged 17 to 24 are unqualified for military service because of physical and medical issues. Within this age group, 18% are ineligible because of illegal drug use; 5% because of a criminal record, and 6% because they have too many dependents under age 18.

Resources

U.S. Department of Defense
MyFuture.com
This site helps young adults plan their next steps in life by bringing together the most recently available information about colleges, careers and military services. Designed primarily for individuals between 16 and 24, the site features information drawn and collated from the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Defense, Education and Labor. The site contains information on more than 1,000 military and civilian careers and nearly 7,000 accredited colleges, universities and trade schools, and can serve as a central resource for valuable background on college admission requirements, employment trends and military benefits.

U.S. Department of Labor
CareerOneStop
This resource for adults and youth provides employment, training, and financial assistance for laid-off workers. It includes resources for getting immediate help with unemployment insurance, healthcare, and other financial needs; job searching and resume tips; changing careers and understanding transferable skills; and upgrading skills through education and training. It also provides career information and links to work-related services that help veterans and military service members successfully transition to civilian careers.

Job Corps
Eligibility: Youth aged 16 to 24
Focus: Workforce development

Job Corps is a federally-funded education and career technical training system administered by the U.S. Department of Labor for youth aged 16 to 24. Job Corps has trained young adults for meaningful careers since 1964. Each year, Job Corps serves approximately 65,000 at-promise youth at 123 centers throughout the country. The program uses a standards-based curriculum to prepare students for high-growth careers. Job Corps offers the opportunity for youth to earn a high-school diploma or GED, and attend college. Career technical training programs include automotive, health care, renewable resources, and more. Job Corps operates according to eight Career Success Standards or behavioral expectations, which prepare students to transition to the workplace and become contributing members of society.

GetMyFuture
As a CareerOneStop website, this tool allows youth to explore careers, learn about education options, identify ideas for employment and job opportunities, and find support. The site also includes a toolkit to find local resources and information to find a job, obtain unemployment benefits, or get contacts to help with next steps.

YouthBuild
Eligibility: Youth aged 16 to 24
Focus: Workforce development

The YouthBuild program assists out-of-school youth between the ages of 16 and 24 in obtaining their diplomas or GEDs while providing occupational training in the construction industry. Acquiring leadership skills and participating in community service, at-risk youth build and renovate affordable housing within their communities. Participants in YouthBuild programs include individuals who have been in the juvenile justice system, youth who are aging out of foster care, high-school dropouts, and others. In addition to receiving academic and occupational skills training, these young people develop leadership skills and participate in community service opportunities. Organizations chosen for YouthBuild funding include workforce investment boards, faith-based and community groups, and local and nonprofit housing development agencies. The YouthBuild program was transferred by Congress from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to the U.S. Department of Labor in 2006. 

References