Why care about youth employment?

Youth employment rates are a strong predictor for long-term economic, educational, and health outcomes for people and communities. 

Research shows that young people with positive early work experiences achieve greater educational attainment. They amass more social capital than their unemployed peers and are better able to access networks. 

Strong youth employment reduces delinquency and crime in communities. It increases readiness levels for adult responsibilities. It also serves as fuel for a robust small business engine, which is a foundational pillar of healthy communities.

Youth employment is so important that creating “decent jobs for youth” is one of the UN’s global sustainable development goals. But what is “decent”? What is a good youth job?

A good job invests in a person’s skills and development regardless of their experience level or background. A good job is a compassionate environment for learning. A good job seeks to break rather than reinforce class hierarchy. A good job is well-peopled with mentors, teachers, and coaches. A good job can be a safe space, a third place, and a lifesaver in some cases.

The Inland Empire is one of the fastest growing population centers in the United States, but it has a significantly higher poverty rate and education gap than the rest of California. The large logistics footprint in the area has created a “school-to-warehouse” pipeline that is depleting young workers who are not immediately college-bound, but are equally deserving of enriching upwardly mobile career opportunities close to home.

Our organization is tackling these challenges by radically investing in youth who stay in our community through durable skills training, job coaching, and placement in internships that maximize their chances for early work success. Want to partner? Reach out -- we're just getting started.

Swati Singh, Executive Director