Even while general unemployment begins to improve, millions of America’s young people, especially young people of color, are out of school and work. Not connecting to work can have lasting effects, including long-term unemployment or long-term employment in low-quality jobs. Strategies to connect young adults to jobs that will set them up for success both now and moving forward are more important than ever. And employers play a critical role.
As a national partner to the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Generation Work initiative, the Economic Opportunities Program has been conducting research with community-based practitioners working directly with employers to build more equitable and inclusive employment practices. Workforce partners in Generation Work communities have tried and tested a range of strategies, and we highlight these in a new typology of promising practices.
Promoting Equity and Inclusion and Connection to Good Fit Jobs for Young Adults describes three categories of practice for employer engagement:
- Leveraging political and financial incentives to influence employer practice change
- Cultivating connections between employers and young adults to influence employer practices
- Working with employers to change practices from the inside
We hope this new publication will be helpful for workforce practitioners looking to engage with employers around supporting equity and inclusion in the workplace and to expand good-fit jobs in their communities.
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Tweet Young workers, especially people of color, have been hit hard by the pandemic. How can we provide good fit jobs for the next generation? Read more from @RanitaJain1 and @amyblair63.
Tweet What can be done to connect young adults to good fit jobs that allow them to earn income and gain positive work experiences? This brief by @RanitaJain1 and @amyblair63 addresses this issue and more.
Tweet Strategies to connect young adults to jobs that set them up for success now and in the future are urgently needed, and employers play a critical role. Read more from @RanitaJain1 and @amyblair63.
Tweet .@AspenWorkforce partnered with @AECFNews to study how #GenWork local partners are working to connect young adults to jobs that set them up for success now and in the future. Read more from @RanitaJain1 and @amyblair63.
Tweet To work with employers toward goals of good fit jobs, workplace equity and inclusion requires ongoing engagement and support to both employer representatives and young adults.
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