Christina L. SmithFoundations of Career and Workforce

EducationEVT 7066

October 20, 2008

Why do many youth in America have such a difficult time transitioning into careers

with a future?

YOUTHS RANGE

FROM 16-21

Youths transitioning into work can have several factors that may make that transition difficult.

DROP OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL

EDUCATION and SKILLS

DISABILITIES

ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED

ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY

DRUG ADDICTION

RELEASED JUVINELLE OFFENDERS

UNEMPLOYEMENT

Students face many decisions in their life and they sometimes choose to drop out of school for many reasons. As a result high school drop outs will have a difficult time transitioning into a career with a future.

HIGH SCHOOL DROP OUTS

Why drop out? • just stopped going because no one objected• problems with school, teachers, disliked school, or low grades• disabilities• have children at an early age • were incarcerated • use illicit drugs, tobacco, or bothDropping out of school can lead to? • face unemployment • live in poverty • be incarcerated • earn half as much annual income as a high school graduate • have children at an early age • use illicit drugs, tobacco, or both • be overweight

(NASET’s Special Educator e-Journal – November 2006 7 of 46 )

TOTAL AGES FROM 18-24 COMPLETING HIGH SCHOOL

86.286.486.686.8

8787.287.487.687.8

88

2004 2005 2006

YEARS

PERC

ENTA

GE

12% of students in 2006 dropped out of school.

Source: Childstats.gov

Each reason for making the decision to drop out of school will make it difficult to transition to a future career.

Even those who do graduate, “many leave high school without developing the skills they need to succeed in the workplace or in postsecondary education. Helping these young adults improve their basic literacy and acquire the work and technical skills they needed to qualify for higher-quality jobs, which are the ticket to rising wages and career advancement, is emerging as one of the nation’s major challenges in the decades ahead.” (MDRC, 2008)

The United States lags globally in critical levels of science literacy.

EDUCATION

If students drop out without the skills and student in school do not learn the skills, all students will have a difficult time transitioning into the workplace.

NAEP Long-Term Trend Reading Age 17AVERAGE SCALE SCORE

265270275280285290295300

YEARS

MaleFemale

Low consistent reading scores for youths in school make it difficult for them to transition into the workforce. A basic educational skill that is needed in most jobs. Long term trend shows a decrease in reading abilities.

“Literacy skills have a significant impact on economic success.” (PISA, 2003, pg. 36) The data for reading literacy skills showed that Finland, Korea, Hong Kong-China, and Canada had the most proficient levels of reading literacy. The United States ranked 16th in the World (The 2005 Skill Gap Report).

TRENDS IN READING FOR AGE 17

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education

NAEP Long-Term Trend Mathematics Age 17AVERAGE SCALE SCORE

050

100150200250300350

YEARS

MaleFemale

No improvement with math scores for youths in school can make it difficult for them to transition into the 21 Century workforce. An educational skill that is needed more and more everyday, especially with the increase in technology and the need to gain those skills to compete in our global economy.

The data for mathematics literacy skills showed that Hong Kong-China, Japan, Korea, and New Zealand had the most proficient in levels of mathematical literacy. The United States ranked 20th in the World (The 2005 Skill Gap Report).

TRENDS IN MATHEMATICS FOR AGE 17

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education

EDUCATION PAYS

There is a demand for education to meet the needs of the workforce and without the right education youths will have a hard time transitioning into careers or furthering their education of their future.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR STATISTICS-2007       

As we know these skills are consistent with jobs and higher wages.

DISABILITIES

Percent of People 5 to 20 Years Old With a Disability: 2007

0

2

4

6

8

10

Arkansas United States Nevada

COMPARISON TO HIGHEST-US-LOWEST

PERC

ENTA

GE

enen

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007 American Community Survey

For those youths that have disabilities that can and want to work may have a difficult time transitioning into future careers.

Physical Disabilities

Types of acquired disabilities include, but are not limited to:•Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) •Spinal Cord Injury •Multiple Sclerosis, a slowly progressive central nervous system disorder characterized by gradual weakness and deterioration of muscle function, •Alzheimer's Disease (frequently called "dementia"), a degenerative process resulting in a large loss of brain cells with the resulting progressive loss of memory (Anee Stanford, 2000).

Developmental Disabilities

Types of developmental disabilities include, but are not limited to: •Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) •Dyslexia •Down's Syndrome or Mental Retardation (see above.) •Learning Disorder, difficulties noted along a continuum of cognitive abilities including adaptive, fine motor, perceptual-motor, social, and language skills. •Learning Disability, which assumes normal cognitive abilities and refers specifically to problems in reading, arithmetic, and written expression (Anee Stanford, 2000).

Acquired DisabilitiesTypes of acquired disabilities include, but are not limited to: •Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) •Spinal Cord Injury •Multiple Sclerosis, a slowly progressive central nervous system disorder characterized by gradual weakness and deterioration of muscle function, •Alzheimer's Disease (frequently called "dementia"), a degenerative process resulting in a large loss of brain cells with the resulting progressive loss of memory (Anee Stanford, 2000).

Youths finding compatible work can be dependent on the disabilities you have.

ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED

United StatesTotal Students 49,676,964Low-Income Students 40.9%Limited English Proficient 8.5%Students with Disabilities 13.6%

Source: National Center For Education Statistics (NCES), Common Core of Data, 2005-06 School Year

“On average, children in low-income households fare worse than children in higher-income households on a host of indicators. Low-

income children are more likely than higher-income children to live in stressful home environments and with parents reporting symptoms of poor mental health. Among school-age children and adolescents, those living in low-income families are less likely to be highly engaged in school activities and more likely to exhibit high levels of emotional and behavioral problems”

(The Urban Institute, 2005)

TOTAL US CHILDREN ON ASSISTANCE BY AGE

05

101520253035

AGE OF RECIPIENT CHILDREN

% Recieving Assistance

Ages

SOURCE: NATIONAL TANF DATAFILE AS OF 4/12/2007

Bottom line, if unemployment is up in our community and new jobs are not being created at a good rate, then we are likely to have more children living in poverty. Research shows that children who grow up in low-income homes are less likely to get the education and other opportunities necessary to succeed throughout their lives (Children in Poverty).

Poverty doesn’t provide the educational opportunities for our youth and it creates a difficulty in transitioning to a future career.

US ADOLESCENT BIRTHS BY AGE

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

Ages 10–14 Ages 15–17 Ages 15–19 Ages 18–19

AGES

PERC

ENTA

GE O

F ADO

LESC

ENTS

2003

2004

2005

2006

Young adolescents giving birth and the ability to support their child causes great difficulty many times to young women who want to attend school. This additional financial stress and child care issues may lead young women to finding it difficult in transitioning to a future career.

SOURCE: FAM6 Adolescent births: Birth rates by mother's age, and race and Hispanic origina, 1980–2006

ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY

DRUG USE AMOUNG YOUTHS CAN LEAD TO DRUG ADDICTION

Source: The National Center on Drug Abuse

“Nearly 75 percent of all adult illicit drug users are employed, as are most binge and heavy alcohol users.1 Studies show that when compared with non–substance abusers, substance-abusing employees are more likely to

•change jobs frequently •be late to or absent from work •be less productive employees •be involved in a workplace accident •file a workers’ compensation claim”

(The National Center on Drug Abuse)

and it can be a cause that makes it difficult for youths to transition in a career for their future.

Illegal drug use can lead youth to being incarcerated.

USA-Males vs Female Exiting Prison in 2007

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

1

Male

Female

Missing/Unknown

USA-AGE OF INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS RELEASED IN 2007

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1< 19 years 19-20 years

Release of Juvenile Offenders provides youth a difficult transitioning to future careers.

Many jobs require you to report crimes you have committed and some jobs cannot hire you depending on the crime you committed.

While in prison youths are not accessible to all education benefits and without job opportunities are more likely to commit a crime again.

RELEASED JUVENILLE OFFENDERS

Data Source: Bureau of Prisons - Extract from BOP's online Sentry System: FY 2007 (as standardized by the FJSRC)

Sadly, research shows that many of these kids return to the same challenging circumstances that put them at risk prior to incarceration (National Conference of State Legislatures).

Youths with difficulties or not find that it is difficult to transition into the workforce when there is no work available.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

In July 2005, 2.7 million youths aged 16 to 24 years old were unemployed—not working but actively looking for work and available to take a job (Bureau of Labor Statistics).

The youth of America is what holds the key to our future of America. The future of America is guided by the choice of careers that are needed now and in future years to come. Youths have many obstacles to overcome that will make it difficult transitioning in careers for the future.

The implications of this phenomenon are staggering—more than 540,000 students dropping out of high school each year. The statistics are astonishing:

•The United States is 17th among developed nations in terms of the percentage of youth who graduate high school. U.S. dropouts’ literacy skills are lower than those of most industrialized nations, performing comparably only to dropouts from Chile, Poland, Portugal, and

Slovenia. This does not bode well for our economic competitiveness.

CAMPAIGN FOR YOUTH OUR YOUTH, OUR ECONOMY, OUR FUTURE

• In an analysis of 2003‐04 teen employment statistics, the Center for Labor Market Studies determined that teen employment was at its lowest level in 57 years. It is predicted to drop again in 2007 (pg 2)

• The situation is particularly dire in minority communities. For example, as few as 20 percent of black teens are employed at any time. At any given time, about 50 percent of young black men ages 16 to 24 who are not enrolled in school are unemployed, and approximately one‐third of all young black men are involved with the criminal justice system.

• Three‐fourths of state prison inmates are high school dropouts, as are 59 percent of inmates in the federal system. At any point in time, approximately 16 percent of all young men ages 18 to 24 without a high school degree or GED are either incarcerated or on parole.

• The earnings gap widens with years of schooling and formal training. In 2003, high school graduates earned 50 percent more than dropouts, and college graduates earned three times as much as dropouts. Also, male

dropouts’ earnings fell compared to earlier years.

• If just one‐third of dropouts were to earn a high school diploma, savings on food stamps, housing assistance, and Temporary Assistance for

Needy Families (TANF) would amount to $10.8 billion—more than enough to cover the cost of investing in these young peoples’ education (pg 2).

Current school reform efforts, while much needed and long overdue, most likely will not touch this group of youth who are no longer on the school rolls, are too old for traditional school settings, lack academic skills and credits, and are in need of much different kinds of support (Campaign for Youth, pg. 3)

Today’s youth in America will have a difficult time transitioning into careers with a future.

The factors presented about our youths affects the future decline of our economy and labor markets.

Campaign for Youth. 2008. CAMPAIGN FOR YOUTH OUR YOUTH, OUR ECONOMY, OUR FUTURE. Retrieved 20 October 2008 from, http://clasp.org/publications/cfy_full.pdf

Childstats. 2006. Completing High School. Retrieved 19 October 2008 from, http://childstats.gov/americaschildren/tables.asp

Childstats. 2006. FAM6 Adolescent births: Birth rates by mother's age, and race and Hispanic origina, 1980–2006. US Adolescent Births By Age. Retrieved 15 October 2008 from, http://childstats.gov/americaschildren/tables.asp

The Manufacturing Institute (2005), “2005 Skills Gap Report – A Survey of the American Manufacturing Workforce”,http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/cda/doc/content/us_mfg_talent_management_121405(1).pdf Retrieved 14 September 2008

NASET’s Special Educator e-Journal – November 2006. Retrieved 19 October 2008 from, http://www.naset.org/fileadmin/user_upload/November_2006_NASET_e_Journal.pdf

The National Association of Manufacturing-Public Policy, (2008), “HRP-01 Education and the Workforce”, http://www.nam.org/policypositions/ Retrieved 16 September 2008

National Center for Education Statistics. 2004. Long-Term Trend Reading Age 17.Retrieved 15 October 2008 from http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/lttnde/viewresults.asp

The National Center on Drug Abuse. 2007. Monitoring the Future Study: Trends in Prevalence of Various Drugs for 8th-Graders, 10th-Graders, and 12th-Graders. Retrieved 20 September 2008 from, http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/HSYouthtrends.html

The National Center on Drug Abuse. 2008. NIDA InfoFacts: Workplace Resources Retrieved 20 September 2008 from, http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/workplace.html

National Conference of State Legislatures. 2008. The Forum for America’s Ideas, Youths at Risk. Retrieved 17 October 2008 from, http://www.ncsl.org/programs/cyf/youthatrisk.htm

References

Sahlin, Monte 2008. Children in Poverty. Retrieved 19 October 2008 from, http://www.e-gracenotes.org/article.php?id=1135

Stanford, Anee. 2000. Definitions of Disability Commonly Used By Schools. Retrieved 19 October 2008 from, http://www.geocities.com/aneecp/distypes.htm

US CENSUS BUREAU. 2008. Youths with Disabilities. Retrieved 19 October 2008 from, http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GRTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=01000US&-_box_head_nbr=R1801&-ds_name=ACS_2007_1YR_G00_&-redoLog=false&-state=grt&-format=US-30&-mt_name=ACS_2006_EST_G00_R1801_US30

US Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2005. Unemployment among youth, Summer 2005. Retrieved 19 October 2008 from, http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2005/aug/wk4/art02.htm

US Department of Health and Human Services. NATIONAL TANF DATAFILE AS OF 4/12/2007. Retrieved 19 October 2008 from, http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/character/FY2006/tab31.htm

THE URBAN INSTITUTE. 2005. LOW-INCOME WORKING FAMILIES: FACTS AND FIGURES. Retrieved 19 October 2008 from, http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/900832.pdf

U.S. Department of Labor. 2007. Employment Projections. Retrieved from 15 October from http://www.bls.gov/emp/emptab7.htm

World Fund. 2008. Education Gap. Retrieved 14 October 2008from http://www.worldfund.org/index.php?q=Education-Gap.html

References