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A G20 answer to youth unemployment
Far too many students graduate without the requisite skills for gainful employment because of an unfocused curriculum with no hands-on job exposure.
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Hear our voice: Speaking in front of G20 leaders, the representatives of Y20 voice the pressing matters related to youth employment. (Courtesy of Angelo Wijaya) (Courtesy of Angelo Wijaya/Courtesy of Angelo Wijaya)
As the Group of 20 meets in Bali this week, heads of state should take a page from their country’s youth for policy solutions related to the school-to-work pipeline. Persistent global youth unemployment rates pose a challenge to national governments. With high rates of youth unemployment coupled with a global economy that increasingly requires more skills to compete, government leaders cannot ignore this emerging challenge.
The consequences of long-term youth idleness cannot be understated. If the rates of youth unemployment continue, civic unrest, burdening public spending, and social pathologies will follow.
Over the summer, 80 youth delegates representing the 20 G20 members met in Indonesia for the Youth 20 (Y20) to deliberate on a policy agenda geared to re-energize the post-pandemic youth economy.
The answer to the youth employment challenge is to revise education curriculums to meet industry needs. In other words, we need to build "industry-linked" education curriculums that create an effective school-to-work pipeline for students.
The Y20 advocates for education institutions to partner with industry leaders to teach the skills needed in our workplaces. This approach means engaging education stakeholders to build an “industry-linked” education curriculum, complemented by increased shadowing opportunities and internships.
Far too many students graduate without the requisite skills for gainful employment because of an unfocused curriculum with no hands-on job exposure. This phenomenon is not limited to G20 members.
Prof. Thanh Pham from Monash University in Australia observed that in Nigeria, post-graduate outcomes lag because of an absence of employable skills. Schools have concentrated their curriculums on theoretical frameworks. No doubt these are valuable in cultivating resilient minds for the future. However, schools cannot neglect the equally important value in equipping students with the skills to make meaningful connections with employers and shaping a student-centered experience around occupational exposure and meeting industry expectations.
Frankly, completing an education credential such as college or high school should mean possessing skills necessary for employment.
As we develop this industry-linked framework, we must also redirect our priorities to alternatives to the “university-for-all” mindset. Education systems have unwisely recognized university education as the sole acceptable path for post-secondary education. Not only has this been a frustration for students globally, but it has left many with cumbersome debt, some abandoning their studies altogether, and others working in jobs that don't require a college degree.
To address this missing alternative, the Y20 encourages the creation of an apprenticeship alternative.
In the US, nearly 90 percent of apprentices gain employment with a near 90 percent retention rate in the first three years, according to data from the Department of Labor. Furthermore, these programs offer competitive wages – an average annual income of $60,000 – without the burdensome debt. These programs also have received significant bipartisan support, creating a unique opportunity for G20 members abroad.
G20 leaders can take inspiration from the Swiss education example – a country that boasts a 3 percent youth unemployment rate. Starting in 2004, Swiss educators reorganized their education system toward one that synergizes industry and vocational exposure with plentiful alternatives to the college-only pathway. In fact, 70 percent of Swiss students choose apprenticeships over university paths. Starting in the 8th grade, students combine school with two days of shadowing various business places. Additionally, employer placements are arranged by the student. This has the dual value of giving th students responsibility over their education, and it engages employers to develop talent early on. Instead of relegating employers to career days, businesses participate in curriculum development with the goal of linking student learning to hiring needs, making students more employable.
An industry-linked education curriculum is the best answer to a lagging education system. By incorporating employers into the curriculum development process and engaging students in exposure programs early on, students will graduate with higher-wage jobs and with higher rates of occupational satisfaction.
As the G20 charts the post-pandemic future, they can find inspiration from the Y20. Give youth an alternative to college and an education tied to employer needs.
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The writer is the 2022 United States youth employment delegate to the Y20 summit in Indonesia.
