southern essex workforce investment board youth employment: opportunity and opinion project...
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Southern Essex Workforce Investment Board
Youth Employment: Opportunity and Opinion
Project 2001-2002
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Sources
Youth Survey- M.V. Dunn. July 2001Employment Issues in Southern Essex
County: The Voices of Youth- Suzanne M. Buglione and Suzanne Singh, Center for Community Economic Development, University of Massachusetts August 2001
The Southern Essex Regional Labor Market: A Blueprint- Center for Community And Economic Development, University of Massachusetts 2000
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Youth Survey
Objective of survey to gather information from area youth regarding:
• Present Employment• Future Career Interests• Educational Interests• Recreational Interests• Adult Role Models• Career Preparation
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Regional Industries
Critical Industry
•Construction•Health Care•Manufacturing•Retail Trade•Personnel Supply Services
Emerging Industry
•Computer and Data Processing•Telecommunications•Financial Services
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Youth Survey
•517 Youth (ages 15-19)
•Self-administered Survey
•Random sample in school sophomores and juniors (365) and out of school youth (152)*
•Administered April through June 2001
*High school graduates not heading to post secondary fall 2001
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Youth Survey
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
In School (365) Out of School (152)
9th
10th
11th
12th
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Youth Survey
17
18
1915
16
Years Of Age
Female: 50.8%
Male: 49.2%
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Youth Survey
0.00%
2.00%
4.00%
6.00%
8.00%
10.00%
12.00%
14.00%
16.00%
City/Town
Salem
Lynn
Peabody
Danvers
Gloucester
Beverly
Saugus
Ipswich
Marblehead
Middleton
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Youth SurveyParticipating High
SchoolsBeverlyDanversGloucesterHamilton-Wenham RegionalIpswichLynn EnglishMasconomet RegionalMarblehead
North Shore Vocational TechnicalPeabody Veterans MemorialSalemSaugus
Youth programs: Catholic Charities of LynnGirls, Inc of Lynn
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Youth Survey
Employment Status
• 89.1% indicated that they had been employed over the past year (9/00 –6/01).
• 88.8% said they worked over the summer 2000.
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Youth Survey
Job and Career Interest• 24.6% indicated that their current
job was in a field that they were interested in as a career.
• 70.2% said they had a career interest at this time.
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Youth SurveyCareer Interests
22.4% Computer
17.4% Financial Services
16.8% Healthcare
16.1% Education
13.3% Law
10.8% Manufacturing
9.9% Retail
6.4% Construction
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Youth SurveyInformation on Careers
• 54.5% indicated that they had received information on how to choose a career
• 38.9% indicated that they had received information on what careers were most promising
• 42.4% said they had received information on what careers were most available.
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Youth SurveyInformation on Careers
Where did they get this information?
72.9% reported that family members were the most prevalent channels for discussions regarding careers.
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Youth SurveyParticipation in Career
Orientation• 24.8% had participated in a “job
shadow day”
• 17.4% said they had gone to a career fair
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Youth SurveyCollege Plans
404 of the respondents said they would like to go to college.
• 9.2% 2-year
• 61.2% 4-year
• 29.6% unsure which type
42.3%of these youth had visited a college
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Youth SurveyRecreational Activities
• Almost 70% of the youth reported that they are involved in some activity for fun.
• 40.7% said they read for enjoyment more than one hour a week.
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Youth SurveyAdult Role Models
Parents are most prevalent adult role models
Counselors/teachers and school contacts, friends of parents, coaches, religious leaders and neighbors were also identified as role models.
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Youth Survey
Self Perception Regarding Career Future
• Over 90% felt that they would make good choices about employment in the future
• And 66.2% felt that they were doing a good job planning ahead
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Youth Survey
82% of the youth felt that there is a
connection between doing well in
school and having a successful
career.
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Youth Survey
87% said they LIKE being part of a team.
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Youth Survey
• Students reported that they felt parents expected (88%) and cared (92.2%) that they would do well in school.
• They also felt that teachers (80.3%) expected them to do well with (67.6%) reporting that they thought teachers cared if they did well.
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Youth Survey
Computer Access
• Students report access to computers at school and at home (slightly over 80%).
• Students use computers for work and/or school work the most (83.4%) and games and talking to friends (64%).
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“The Voice of Youth”
Focus group results2001
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Focus Groups
Focus Group Participants:
70 youth in total33% Minority76% In School44% EmployedAge Range: 14 - 21
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Focus Groups
Location Total #
GenderM/F
In School
Salem Career Center
9 4/5 7
Sterling YMCA 10 6/4 10
McPherson Youth Center
13 10/3
Compass 22 12/10 10
Girls, Inc 16 1/15
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Focus Groups
Focus Groups asked the following questions:1. How do youth perceive opportunities
within the critical and emerging industries?
2. What are the factors that hinder youth employment in the region?
3. How can the community respond to the employment needs of area youth?
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Focus GroupsCritical and Emerging
Industries
ConstructionThree groups felt strongly that this was
not a good industry because employment was inconsistent and work was difficult. Factors influencing this included weather conditions, seasonal employment, hours and “hard on the body”.
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Critical and Emerging Industries
Construction Continued:Two groups felt that construction was a good
industry for people who owned their own construction companies.
One group felt that the industry was not accessible to women.
Another group indicated that construction was a good job because you got to work outdoors, work with your hands and it was fun, “honest” work with a tangible product.
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Focus GroupsCritical and Emerging
IndustriesHealthcare
Two groups felt it was an underrated industry, but was worthwhile because employees “helped others”.
Two groups reported no interest in working in this industry because of:
• low pay• repetitive work• risk of HIV• Risk of getting sued if you mess up• indoor work
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Focus GroupsCritical and Emerging
Industries
Healthcare Continued:Youth mentioned concerns about
access to health care for all people (insurance restrictions etc) AND limited career ladder options for advancement (only saw doctor and nurse as advanced jobs and these required education that was costly).
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Focus GroupsCritical and Emerging
IndustriesManufacturing
Four of the groups described this field as:Hard physical work
• Dangerous• Hours are bad• Stressful and repetitive work
Some participants felt that the “money was good” and others weren’t sure.
Concerns that the industry was not stable because companies were going out of business were expressed.
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Focus GroupsCritical and Emerging
IndustriesTemp Work
The majority of youth felt that temp work wasn’t desirable because there is no security, no benefits and is “tough work”.
However some acknowledged that Temp Work could be used to gain experience and act as a stepping stones.
There was some unsureness of the nature and compensation of this type of work.
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Focus GroupsCritical and Emerging
IndustriesRetail
Also seen as a “stepping stone” industry towards future career goals possibly in tantum with college.
Comments about the retail industry included:– boring– dishonest– hard work– with positions being fazed out by technology– Jobs NOT careers
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Focus GroupsCritical and Emerging
IndustriesComputers/Data Processing
Two of the groups recognized the future of this industry on the north shore.
The majority of participants felt that jobs in this industry are boring and that there are too many people in the field causing competition (mainly internet).
The Salem Career Center focus group acknowledged this as a positive industry to get training in, that paid well and was fun.
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Focus GroupsCritical and Emerging
IndustriesTelecommunications
The participants were unclear as to what this industry involved and the majority reported that they are not interested in this industry.
Youth felt there were jobs available in this industry and only required limited training.
They recognized the importance of communication skills and patience.
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Focus GroupsCritical and Emerging
IndustriesFinancial/Web-Based Banking
Again, the majority of the participants were unclear as to what this industry consisted of. After explanation, the youth expressed a lack of trust in computerized banking.
Two groups felt that there were good jobs available, but they weren’t interested in them.
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Focus GroupsQualities of a “Good Job”
Most frequent qualities included:• Money• Respect• Flexible Hours• Making a Difference in the Community• Fun (getting satisfaction from work)To Get a “Good Job”:• Continue education, including college• Getting Experience in a Field• Networking and Talking to People in Field• Setting Goals• Getting Specific Training• Doing Volunteer Work
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Focus GroupsChallenges and Barriers
Lack of understanding of the Critical and Emerging Industries
• Confused as to the nature.• Could not see the wide array of
careers available within the industries.
• Focused on the low-level or high-level occupations exclusively.
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Focus GroupsChallenges and Barriers
Lack of Support for College• Need for support with financial aid.• “Fitting in” and making college
decisions.
“I visited a college and felt so out of place” Lynn Girls Inc. Participant
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Focus GroupsChallenges and Barriers
Employers Perception of Youth Employees
• Youth felt their experiences were not recognized and that employers were not interested in hiring youth.
• Youth also felt they needed to be able to get more skills (computer skills were mentioned) to be more marketable.
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Focus GroupsChallenges and Barriers
Society’s Perception of YouthYouth felt they were discriminated
against due to their age, sex and socioeconomic status.“They don’t want youth-they want people with experience” Compass
participant
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Focus GroupsChallenges and Barriers
Human Resource Concerns• Often need to work past 10:00 pm.• Minimum or low wages.• Pay didn’t match hours worked.
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Focus GroupsChallenges and Barriers
Need for Summer Employment• Some youth reported this was the
only time they could work due to extra curricular activities during the school year.
• They also said some employers were hesitant to hire youth for only the summer and wanted a commitment beyond the summer.
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Focus GroupsChallenges and Barriers
Child Care
One youth from Gloucester mentioned the lack of child care as an obstacle to employment.
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Focus GroupsChallenges and Barriers
Transportation
Many of the participants mentioned the lack of transportation as an obstacle to employment and accessing college.
“You need to be able to walk or get rides from parents” Sterling Center YMCA
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Focus GroupsChallenges and Barriers
Need to Network and Make Connections
Youth perceived employment as “political” dependent on who you know versus what you know.
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Focus GroupsChallenges and Barriers
Economics of the Region
Youth saw limitations with the job market in the region which they attributed to a slowing economy.
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Focus GroupsChallenges and Barriers
Lack of Skills, Training and Experience
• Some felt they couldn’t get jobs because they didn’t have experience.
• Lacked skills such as computer and communication skills needed to gain employment.
• Lacked career planning and development skills.
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Focus GroupsChallenges and Barriers
Lack of Support
Youth expressed anxiety about the future, needed mentoring and issues regarding self-esteem, drugs and peer pressure.
“..friends with nothing to do but hang out” (interfere with employment) participant from Compass, Gloucester
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Researchers Recommendations for
Community ResponsesRecommendations from the research
team:• Offering efficient public transportation.• Training programs for youth including
goal setting, college and financial aid, computers, communication skills, job skills, job readiness and understanding of career pathways.
• Employer training regarding hiring youth, HR issues and support.
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Researchers Recommendations for Community Responses
Recommendations cont.• Education and outreach for youth including
information and guidance regarding potential careers in the critical and emerging industries.
• Education and outreach for parents as sources for career and college information and support.
• Internships and volunteer opportunities to gain specific work experience.
• Mentors with commitment to sustained involvement for youth.