Understanding Employment Trajectories for Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Young Adults Can Support Their Well-being

Early adulthood is a critical life stage for education, employment, relationship formation, and reproductive health, but young adults’ experiences in these areas are highly varied. Using averages to describe youths’ experiences may miss meaningful differences that could alter their developmental trajectories. Understanding these trajectories—and their implications for youth of varying races, ethnicities, and genders—can help researchers, practitioners, and policymakers support young people’s development and ensure greater well-being into their adulthoods. This brief summarizes findings from a new report which reveals different employment pathways taken by young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds through the use of trajectory analysis—a person-based approach that allows clustering people into meaningful patterns based on their employment earnings and the fringe benefits they receive.

Record Type: 
Research-To-Practice Brief
Publication Date: 
August, 2022
Date: 
August 2022
Source: 
Partner Resources
Topics/Subtopics: 
  • Employment
  • Education and Training
    • Career Pathways
  • Special Populations
    • Youth in Transition