Summer Jobs+: Positive Sign For American Youth Employment?

The White House recently announced a joint initiative with business and non-profit organizations to make use of the "untapped potential" that disconnected and low-income youth offer America.  According to www.whitehouse.gov, the initiative, termed "Summer Jobs+," aims to provide approximately 250,000 summer employment opportunities.

 This call to action by President Obama reinforces his administration's support of summer employment as over 367,000 young people were given opportunities in the summers of 2009 and 2010 combined. Furthermore, over 80,000 youth obtained summer jobs in 2011 through collaboration between the Department of Labor and the private sector. Thus, this program aims to be the largest yet in empowering American youth with some form of employment.

So far, the private sector has committed about 180,000 jobs to the cause, with job commitments from companies such as Bank of America, Starbucks, and Jamba Juice, and internship and service opportunities from non-profits such as Operation HOPE and WE ARE GOLF. The main focus of Summer Jobs+ is to engage students in experiences that will "strengthen the economy and move the country forward."

Summer Jobs+ aims to engage the disadvantaged and disconnected youth in three ways:

·         Learn and Earn: Both the private and federal sector will provide "paid internships and/or paid positions" and provide them with on-the-job training.

·         Life Skills: Youth will be taught skills such as communications and team-building lessons essential to success in the work force.

·         Work Skills: Youth will gain experience through job-shadowing and internships which will ready them for employment.

Summer Jobs+ targets out-of-work and out-of-school youth between the ages of 16-24. The program aims to provide American youth with the means of learning life and work skills, earning an income, and easing the burden on taxpayers supporting the unemployed youth.

Sophomore Keane McCullum believes that this is a step in the right direction for America.

"I think that, on first impression, that the Obama administration has a very positive outlook on American youth," he said. "Very often, the youth get left behind because voting power and the power of the purse lie with the older taxpayers. I think it's great that the Obama administration is looking at the youth and saying ‘we can't ignore them; they need to develop job skills as well.' I think that this program will be a wise investment for America's future."

McCullum may be correct in predicting the program's usefulness to the American taxpayer. Research by the White House Council for Community Solutions (WHCCS) showed that in 2011 alone, youth disconnected from schools and work cost taxpayers more than $93 billion. Furthermore, the WHCCS found that taxpayers will spend over $1.6 trillion paying for the "increased needs and lost revenue" of young people.

However, McCullum expressed concern about one aspect of the initiative. He believes that while focusing the program will provide disconnected and disadvantaged youth with bright prospects, it may also limit college students' ability to find summer jobs.

"I've never had trouble finding jobs over the summer, but it's hard to come by jobs these days," he said. "It'll be good for these kids to get into businesses and companies to gain some experience. Although I'm glad that the government wants to engage our youth, I'm wary that its initiative may not apply to me."

Sophomore Brandon Allen laments the difficulty of finding a professional job/internship over the past few years, citing a lack of opportunities.

"I work for my grandpa over the summer, but I've always wanted to get out and find a job with an actual company," he said. "Something a little more set. I've put applications out every summer, but I never hear back from them."

Allen also shares McCullum's views on the program.

"Opening up jobs for young people is a good thing because it will open up more opportunities for American youth," he said. "But I think that while it's good to give people who need jobs the chance to earn money, college students should… be included in the plan."

"I think [college students] are the ones who need even more aid and focus because they're loaded with student loans and debt," Allen continued.  "Their families usually can't offer them much help, and even with scholarships, most students just don't have enough to cover the cost of college. It'll be nice if the government could offer some help so that students could graduate without debt up to their eyeballs."