Young people who begin their careers with strong workforce skills and professional networks are ready to build rewarding careers. But policy priorities often overlook building a firm foundation for students, which effects talent pipelines and local economies. According to a recent study, 40% of college graduates are underemployed in their first job, and two-thirds are likely to continue to be underemployed five years later.
Policymakers hold the keys to building a future-ready workforce.
Building a future-ready workforce requires the cooperation and partnership of policymakers, community organizations, educators, and business leaders. When policymakers lead and provide a strong foundation for educators and other organizations to work together, students can develop the workplace skills needed to be successful.
Many promising strategies for scaling work-based learning are in place in cities across the country and can be replicated in communities nationwide. NAF’s first policy paper pulls together these strategies into five recommendations for state and local policymakers:
#1 Leverage Existing Funding and Mechanisms
Government agencies or school districts can leverage contracts and procurement to encourage or even require vendors to engage in work-based learning. The Los Angeles Unified School District incorporated into every vendor contract a requirement to provide high quality work-based learning opportunities for students, including internships.
#2 Build Work-Based Learning Infrastructure
States, cities, counties, and community groups, such as chambers of commerce, can encourage work-based learning and act as intermediaries to match businesses with local schools. To meet the rising needs of post-secondary attainment, Texas launched 60X30TX, with the goal of 60% of Texans receiving a certificate or a degree by the ages 25-34. A key component is requiring higher education institutions to consult with local chambers of commerce, workforce development boards, and other similar groups to boost student workforce-ready skills and build networks of paid internships.
#3 Include Accountability Systems
Including work-based learning and paid internships in state or local education accountability programs, Perkins, and ESSA measures, is a fiscally neutral way to encourage schools to include a focus on career preparedness. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction recognizes NAFTrack Certification as an industry-approved credential that counts towards school districts’ documentation of work-based learning competencies.
#4 Expand and Align Quality Summer Youth Employment Programs
Often run through the city mayor’s office, Summer Youth Employment Programs (SYEPs) are a great way to connect local businesses to qualified students looking for summer experiences and set talented students on their career paths early. Grow Detroit’s Young Talent (GDYT), now in its fifth year, introduces young people to careers in schools and through community service programs, and connects them with a first employment or vocational training program focused on career-readiness skills.
#5 Create Local Funding Initiatives
Municipalities across the country have used parcel taxes to fund work-based learning programs. Miami-Dade County approved a local funding initiative that established The Children’s Trust to administer grants to support children and families. Since then, the Trust has also partnered with CareerSource South Florida, Royal Caribbean, JPMorganChase, Miami-Dade County government, and Miami-Dade County Public Schools to facilitate and fund a paid summer internship program for high school students to build workplace-ready skills.
Successful work-based learning programs are an important driver of equity. They create pathways to high growth fields for underrepresented groups. They build students’ professional networks and social capital. And, they create a pipeline for employers to fill vacant jobs with qualified and available talent.
Read NAF’s policy paper here: Building Future Ready Workforce Pipelines.