Funding Needed To Support Teen Jobs
I am sure you have read recently about the growing community concern regarding too few jobs for our youth this summer.
The Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University recently reported that teen employment is at an all-time low. As city and state officials scramble to assemble resources for summer job programs amidst deep federal and state budget cuts, community members eagerly wait, knowing it will pale in comparison to the overwhelming need for jobs that exists.
Federal Support
Last year, with the help of stimulus money provided by the Obama administration, 284 youth were employed throughout our region. Additionally, through the state-funded YouthWorks Summer Jobs program run by the Worcester Community Action Council, in partnership with the Central Massachusetts Workforce Investment Board, were able to subsidize more than 400 youth jobs. So far this year, it looks as if we will only have the funding available to fund less than half of the number of positions from last year, despite receiving thousands of applications.
Over the past few years, the state Legislature and Gov. Deval Patrick have provided financial support for innovative programs to boost teen job opportunities both year-round and during the summer months. The Connecting Activities program provides paid internships for in-school youth, the YouthWorks Program creates subsidized summer jobs for low income youth, and the Shannon Grants help provide subsidized job opportunities for youth in areas with high violence rates. Every indicator shows that early work experience in high school and in the late teens clearly aids in a successful transition to adulthood.
While the governor and Legislature approved supplemental funding for these programs in fiscal year 2011 and the governor’s budget for FY 2012 proposed funding for these youth employment programs, the Massachusetts House budget either cut or eliminated them. Thankfully, the state Senate restored some of those cuts, and they are now under consideration in the conference committee. Loss of these programs will worsen job prospects for the state’s teens, especially those residing in high unemployment and high-crime neighborhoods.
We urge the Legislature to expand upon the funding proposed by the governor and ask all political, business and labor leaders across the state to play an active role in promoting teen employment and work-school linkages. The future workforce preparedness of the state, upon which our economic strength rests, depends on such efforts.
Andy Sum is the director of the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University. Rosalie Lawless is the director of human resources for Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital in Worcester and chair of the Central Massachusetts Workforce Investment Board.
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments