Go Back to Our Ideas
Report/Research

Connecting Opportunity Youth to Postsecondary Credentials and Careers

At a Glance

Today, 4.5 million young adults ages 16 to 24 are out of school and unemployed. Often referred to as “opportunity youth,” they face significant barriers in the labor market. Policymakers must learn from proven college and career pathways models and craft effective policies to help opportunity youth succeed in education, skills training, and careers. This brief outlines key research findings and includes recommendations for designing the supports young people need.

Published feb. 06, 2020
Contributors
Capabilites

Invest

Influence

Areas of Work
  • Preparing for the Future of Work
  • Ensuring Equity in Advancement
  • Meeting Employer Needs
Topics

This brief was made possible by generous support from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. The findings, conclusions, and recommendations presented in this report are those of JFF alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.

More Related to Connecting Opportunity Youth to Postsecondary Credentials and Careers | Jobs for the Future (JFF)

Report/Research

Making Higher Education Policy Work for Opportunity Youth

While the economy has improved in recent years, millions of Americans don’t have the credentials they need to secure high-quality, family-supporting jobs. This is particularly true among young adults who are disconnected from both education and work and often referred to as opportunity youth.

Current higher education policies are not structured to best serve opportunity youth. In preparation for a new Congress and new state policy leaders, JFF developed Making Higher Education Policy Work for Opportunity Youth, highlighting the importance of, and recommendations for, higher education pathways to support opportunity youth.

Report/Research

Investments in Opportunity Youth Fuel Prosperity

In preparation for a new Congress and development of the FY2020 federal budget, JFF developed Investments in Opportunity Youth Fuel Prosperity, a brief highlighting how investments in opportunity youth yield critical economic gains and the impact of trends in federal funding over the past four decades.

OY FOW.jpg

Report/Research

Preparing Opportunity Youth for the Future of Work

The future of work—resulting from fast- paced changes in technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, and fluctuations in the way we perform work—will create economic growth and new jobs across the country, but only for communities that are prepared and for workers with the necessary skills. This report outlines JFF's policy recommendations to prepare opportunity youth to meet the challenges the changing nature of work poses.