MENTORING: A CALL TO ACTION

For an increasing number of American youth, entering the work force is far more challenging that they might expect. Over the last several years, the unemployment rate for youth ages 16–19 has hovered around 20 percent,1 with worse rates for certain minority groups. While the 2009 recession played a role in these dire youth unemployment numbers, the United States has historically struggled to build the structural supports needed to effectively match youth with workforce needs. With more than one-third of Americans currently lacking the skills to access and succeed in family-supporting careers,2 there is tremendous lost economic and social potential. A variety of sectors report not being able to fill available jobs due to applicants having insufficient skills.3 This growing misalignment between the demand and supply for skills means that young people will continue to be underemployed over the next decade. In fact, due to underemployment, young Americans ages 20–24 will lose an estimated $21.4 billion in earnings over the next 10 years.4 Since youth career engagement and workforce development programs provide youth with the necessary skills and experience to gain access to career-building jobs, the need to invest in such programs is more urgent than ever; these programs are increasingly finding that structured mentoring is a vital aspect of quality workforce preparation. This brief is meant to provide an overview of the state of youth workforce development in the United States and to illustrate the role mentoring can play in increasing youth career exploration and workforce development. Whether as a public/private investor, researcher, or program staff, we all have a role to play in investing resources strategically in a way that can improve the quality of and access to mentoring, while expanding our understanding of this approach