Increasing Employment Opportunities for Disadvantaged Young Adults

In 2014, only about half of youth and young adults ages 16-24 held jobs, and about one in five were neither working nor in school. This problem most severely affects disadvantaged groups, including individuals with less education, lower incomes, and minority young people, specifically young men of color. In June 2014, MDRC and the Rockefeller Foundation convened a group of academics and experts to discuss potential demand-side approaches to youth employment. Some themes that emerged were: employers are a heterogeneous group with diverse needs and preferences; incentives are unlikely to be the only force motivating employer decisions; employers are more likely to engage in youth employment efforts if it is easy for them to do so and if they believe it will positively influence their businesses; and disadvantaged young workers need assistance communicating their skills and experience and support in entry-level jobs.