Essential Questions for Employment
Employment Playbook: Chapter 2
Overview
When young people secure work that pays a living wage, offers benefits, builds skills and provides purpose, they gain a trajectory toward long-term stability and opportunity. Communities can make this possible by aligning workforce systems, expanding access to internships and apprenticeships, engaging employers and ensuring every young person has the support and connections they need to launch a rewarding career.
Successful launch into rewarding work
Launching into rewarding work means young people secure quality jobs with fair pay, stability and growth opportunities that lead to lasting economic mobility.
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1. Are young people gaining access to quality jobs, characterized by strong earnings, labor market security and quality working environment? -
2. Are young people earning salaries that lead to economic mobility, economic security and that allow them to build wealth?
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3. Do young workers have access to ongoing career skills development to obtain new skills and meet evolving labor market demands?
High-quality postsecondary education and workforce training
These systems provide affordable, well-supported pathways to credentials of value that lead to quality jobs and long-term career success.
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4. Are students completing credentials of value that set them up for success in the workforce?
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5. Are there quality pathways for young people who pursue career training that lead to employment in quality jobs?
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6. Do students attend institutions that provide adequate financial aid and that are adequately funded to offer a quality educational experience?
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7. Do students have access to adequate support to enable them to succeed academically and in the workforce?
Support networks that build social capital
Connected support networks ensure young people have diverse, caring mentors and professional connections — and access to meaningful work experiences — that open doors to opportunity and career growth.
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8. Do young people have strong, supportive relationships with colleagues, supervisors, mentors and other influential, experienced people?
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9. Do young people have access to paid, relevant internships and apprenticeships?
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10. Do students have effective, representative college and work-based learning educators?
Local workforce systems
Well-aligned systems prepare people for employment, support workers who are trying to advance in their careers and create a skilled workforce to support local industry.
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11. Are workforce intermediaries working to bring together partners in the workforce system to support a cohesive, aligned workforce system?
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12. Are workforce systems coordinating with partners to help young people acquire skills and credentials, find jobs and access supports?
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13. Are local workforce systems engaging employers and industry groups to address local talent needs?
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14. Are employers creating the conditions for employee success and career advancement, improving job access and job quality?
Experiences and neighborhood conditions
People who live in well-resourced neighborhoods, where families have access to public support — such as healthcare, nutrition programs and economic assistance — are more likely to thrive.
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15. Do K-12 systems make sufficient contributions to ensuring students are college and career ready?
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16. Do young people live in well-resourced neighborhoods?
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17. Do young people have access to public support (i.e., health care access, nutrition programs, economic support, etc.)?
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18. Do young people live in communities with governments that are attentive to the needs of all members and with engaged residents?
Employment Playbook
Download the playbook