Part Two of a two-part series. Read Part One.

Youth unemployment rates, which have steadily increased over the past decade, indicate that work has become increasingly difficult to come by for students in high school and college (Anderson & Nieves, 2020). There are many reasons for this depleted workforce: automation has eliminated jobs historically held by younger, less skilled workers; older workers, without the safety net to retire or the skills needed to advance in their industries, are displacing young people in lower waged jobs; and “College-for-All” policies have emphasized a student-first identity (Anderson & Nieves, 2020).

The irony remains that as work for young people becomes more difficult to find, work experience continues to be valuable and increasingly important. Young people who work, especially in a job aligned with their long-term career aspirations, acquire the professional skills necessary to be successful as an adult worker, skills that also support academic persistence. Effective communication, time management, strategic thinking, and the ability to collaborate are regularly named by organizations as some of the most sought after skills a worker can have outside technical competencies (Anderson & Nieves, 2020).

Work also supports young students as they persist through the costly world of college. Financial considerations and the need for work are primary reasons for high school and college dropout rates, especially amongst low-income students who are disproportionately students of color. Balancing the high cost of tuition, other related costs to enrollment, and financial obligations related to the family necessitate students to work, but traditional academics and classroom schedules in both high school and college are not conducive to working students who must constantly shift between these two worlds to survive. Degree completion and industry certification must be made affordable, not just in terms of avoiding debt, but in terms of maximizing earning power during schooling years so that young people are able to start the process of lifelong learning in financial health. Work-based learning is the path forward.

Investing in Work-Based Learning

Work-based learning merges the worlds of work and learning so that students may apply knowledge directly to real-world work experience. This strategy allows students to gain skills and competencies specific to an industry of interest, typically for a wage, while working towards one or multiple degrees and/or certifications. This reduces the financial burden of education and engages learners in valuable, hands-on work experiences with actual employers who, in turn, gain talented and eager workers at early stages of their careers.

Young people are also empowered by earning a wage and being immersed in the world of work. Providing these opportunities supports worker identities that already exist in young people. In our book, Working to Learn: Disrupting the Divide Between College and Career Pathways from Young People, we present research on community college students and high school age participants in New York City’s Summer Youth Employment Program. In both populations, we found that these young people, as young as 15 years old, have a developed sense of who they are and who they want to be in school and work, and are able to articulate this identity. Through work-based learning experiences, young people are able to express a sense of confidence in the skills they are mastering (technical and professional skills), and internalize how work influences a sense of agency and ability to persist in school and work, turning early exposure to work into actionable progress in pursuing college and career advancement (Anderson & Nieves, 2020).

What is needed to build such programs? First, we need leadership in philanthropy, the private sector, government, and nonprofits who are willing to engage young people by creating work-based learning opportunities. This means creating space and resources internally for young people to manage projects and acquire paid, on-the-job training, but the return on investment is high. One example of such leadership is the NY Jobs CEO Council, a coalition of the largest employers in New York City dedicated to funding and scaling pathways to careers for underserved New Yorkers. These leaders, like Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, see the immense potential in work-based learning solutions for talent recruitment and training and hope to bridge the gap between sectors to incubate programs locally.

Second, investments in research and program evaluation are needed in the United States so that programs may be designed with data-driven and equity-centered approaches at their core. Catalytic philanthropy can fuel these programs and support them to scale to make a profound impact. Such investment could look like the sponsorship of students and organizations engaged in effective work-based learning programs, driving the research needed to sustain and scale best practices, and providing the voices needed in policy to advocate for this work.

Philanthropy has a unique position suited for supporting research/evaluation and practice in work-based learning. As the future of work and education is a consideration for all sectors, we urge donors and philanthropy partners to consider how they may lead in efforts to expand work-based learning opportunities so that more young people may access valuable experiences in both work and learning.

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Original contribution by Noel S. Anderson, Clinical Professor, Educational Leadership & Policy Studies, NYU Steinhardt; Lisette Nieves, President, Fund for the City of NY and Program Faculty, Educational Leadership & Policy Studies, NYU Steinhardt; and Becca Huntting, Doctoral Student, Educational Leadership & Policy Studies, NYU Steinhardt. 

Source:
Anderson, A. S. and Nieves, L. (2020). Working to Learn: Disrupting the Divide Between College and Career Pathways for Young People. Palgrave Macmillan.