Building Opportunities for Young Adults: A Discussion on Strategies to Support the Newest Generation of Workers

Young adults and teens face significant challenges in finding quality employment in today’s economy. The employment rate of teens is at its lowest point since World War II, and young adults have seen their employment rate drop by over 10 percentage points since 2000. For young workers, a lack of work experience can be a huge barrier to entering the labor market or finding a quality job. More businesses have shifted away from hiring entry-level workers and investing in their training and development, and instead prioritize job candidates with experience. For those who have found employment, low wages, part-time hours, and limited advancement opportunities are not uncommon. This conversation discusses the challenges young workers face in today’s economy and ideas for expanding meaningful volunteer, on-the-job learning, and entrepreneurship opportunities to help our newest generation of workers gain the experiences and skills they need to be successful in the labor market. This event features John Bridgeland (President and CEO, Civic Enterprises), LaShauntaye Moore (Earth Conservation Corps), Henry Rock (Executive Director and Founder, City Startup Labs), Elizabeth Shuler (Secretary-Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer, AFL-CIO), and moderator Nona Willis Aronowitz (National Reporter, NBC News Digital). This event is part of the Working in America series, an ongoing discussion series hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program that highlights an array of critical issues affecting low- and moderate-income workers in the United States and ideas for improving and expanding economic opportunities for working people. For more information, visit as.pn/workinginamerica. The Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy. We recognize that race, gender, and place intersect with and intensify the challenge of economic inequality and we address these dynamics by advancing an inclusive vision of economic justice. For over 25 years, EOP has focused on expanding individuals’ opportunities to connect to quality work, start businesses, and build economic stability that provides the freedom to pursue opportunity. Learn more at as.pn/eop.