Politics & Government

Opinion: Reclaiming Unemployed, At-Risk Youth With a Web of Opportunity

Public policy has already demonstrated that it can help young people in almost any circumstances reconnect to the world of work.

By Roland V. Anglin (Courtesy of NJ Spotlight)

Hollywood could not have written a better title for a science fiction or horror blockbuster: “Worldwide, Work Disappears for Youth.”

Essentially, that is what the Economist reported in its April 27 issue in an article titled “Generation Jobless.” In many places in Europe, Africa, and Asia, unemployment for youth ages 15 to 24 hovers around 50 percent. Officially, the International Labor Organization reports that 6 percent of all 15- to 24-year-olds worldwide are unemployed, but that figure does not count those who are disconnected from work, education, or training.

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The World Bank calculates that over 290 million young people, or a quarter of the world’s 15- to 24-year-old are “inactive,” meaning they have disappeared not only from the world of work but also from the paths to work. The pressing problem is that the time spent out of the labor market adds significantly to the wage penalty unemployed youth face over the course of their work lives. They simply cannot make up the work experience necessary to command increased wages over time.

In New Jersey, we have seen this movie, and, unfortunately, we continue to watch. Although general youth unemployment is a problem, the numbers reveal a major concern in communities marked by concentrated poverty. Unemployment for African-American and Latino youth often runs two times higher than other cohorts. The concern is further magnified in light of the statistics for African-American and Latino youth who leave school early without a high school diploma.

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Read more at NJSpotlight.com

NJ Spotlight is an issue-driven news website that provides critical insight to New Jersey’s communities and businesses. It is non-partisan, independent, policy-centered and community-minded.


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