Data shows that youth unemployment (ages 15-24) has slowly been creeping up from a low of 6.9% in April 2023 to 9.9% in October 2023. Further, the Aspen Institute reports there are more than 4.6 million youth who are disconnected from both school and employment – known as opportunity youth. States and localities have created innovative approaches to youth workforce development, including pre-apprenticeships and registered apprenticeships. Also, recent federal investments offer additional opportunities to engage youth in in-demand industries.

One such industry is infrastructure where the demand will only increase, and the opportunity is ripe to close equity gaps. Reports indicate that over the next decade, 1.7 million infrastructure workers will leave their jobs or retire, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 is projected to create 8.8 million new jobs. The demand provides the opportunity to create a more inclusive economy and engage youth from historically underrepresented groups in the infrastructure industry, including women and people of color.

California, Illinois, Minnesota, and Washington have adopted state programs building on federal investments from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) YouthBuild program. YouthBuild is a “community-based pre-apprenticeship program that provides job training and educational services for opportunity youth ages 16-24 who left school without a secondary diploma.” Established by WIOA, YouthBuild participants gain skills in construction and in-demand industries while supporting the community by constructing or rehabilitating affordable housing for low-income or unhoused families.

Preparing students for both college and careers by giving them more exposure to career options, expanding pathways into the fastest-growing fields, and shortening the time it takes to obtain postsecondary credentials of value is a win-win for all parties. Registered apprenticeships are “industry-driven” career pathways. Participants receive paid work experience; classroom instruction; and portable, nationally recognized credentials, while industry engagement allows employers to develop and prepare their future workforce tailored to their needs. For youth, registered apprenticeships offer real world training and experience to support their success in the workforce long-term. For employers, registered apprenticeships show a 44% return on investment while creating a talent pipeline for in-demand industries. More than half of states have a registered state apprenticeship agency, while the remaining state systems are governed by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship.

The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, jointly with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, announced plans to invest $10 million to expand apprenticeship training centers in the state, which are expected to train hundreds of workers per year in construction trades. The announcement comes as New Jersey’s need for skilled talent increases amid a rise in infrastructure and public works initiatives.

Recent federal investments have opened new opportunities to engage youth in infrastructure career pathways. Between the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and WIOA Youth Programs, the federal investment in state and local infrastructure programs is ripe for the taking. With that comes the opportunity to craft programs that build skills and pathways for youth in infrastructure jobs and careers.

This work requires intentional vertical collaboration from federal to local and horizontally within states. Much of the apprenticeship landscape exists in the form of federal grants to and through states for apprenticeship programs.

While not explicitly tied together, the opportunity to both advance youth apprenticeships while leveraging federal funding for infrastructure investments is a policy lightning rod. With the demand for infrastructure careers predicted to rise, there is tremendous potential to support youth employment through pre-apprenticeships and registered apprenticeships.

NOTE: On December 14, 2023, the Department of Labor issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) titled National Apprenticeship System Enhancements. This proposed rule is to revise the regulation governing registered apprenticeship and the National Apprenticeship System.  Upon publication in the Federal Register, the NPRM will be open for public comment for 60 days. The department encourages comments from all interested stakeholders and will consider all comments received before publishing a final rule. Learn more here.