A hopeful approach for improving outcomes for Baltimore youth.
Youth transitions to rewarding careers remain a critical problem for America’s current and future workforce. In Baltimore, where only one in five graduates of Baltimore City Public Schools matriculates to a four-year college and the unemployment rate for 16 to 19 year-olds is over 40 percent, opportunities to gain meaningful training and work experience are vital.
Co-authored by Dr. Robert Lerman and Dr. Arnold Packer, this Abell Report examines the potential role of youth apprenticeship in enhancing student engagement, raising employability skills, and helping young people gain mastery in high demand occupations. It demonstrates that youth apprenticeship is a proven model for low youth unemployment and the development of a highly skilled work force.
Legislators, educators, and business leaders have an opportunity to build on existing elements in Baltimore and create a youth apprenticeship pilot program that offers vital work-based learning opportunities to city youth. The report concludes with recommendations necessary to build a successful pilot.