Why the youth skills conversation must go beyond campuses

Addressing youth skills mobility is a quantum economic and social opportunity for Canada. But it will be one that passes us by if we don’t confront the significant barriers many youth face to fully engage with the workforce.

I’ve just returned from an inspiring trip to London, Ontario to visit Goodwill Industries, a social enterprise which provides work opportunities and skills development for those who face barriers to employment. During my visit, I took part in a discussion with young people and non-profit groups and heard about the opportunities and obstacles youth face early in their career journey.

The young people I met were all extraordinary. Some had battled homelessness, others were struggling with mental illness and most found themselves knocked out of the school system at an early age.

But thanks to their motivation, and the support of incredible organizations like London’s Goodwill Industries, they have successfully integrated into the workforce.

My takeaway from my short time with these talented individuals is clear.

Not only do we need to widen our perspective when it comes to youth, but we must also rethink where and how youth learn through experience to encompass a broader spectrum, especially those young people who face significant barriers.

One typical story was a young woman named Lela. She had moved to a group home at 14 and was forced out of high school shortly thereafter. But after gaining access to training programs through a social group, she now works as a professional care giver.

Her challenges were common among the youth I spoke to, with many highlighting the hidden barriers to access they have faced. For example, one young person spoke about the hurdles created by employers, who often look for standard credits or other requirements on a resume, rather than focusing on the skills youth can offer.

As employers, we all need to do a better job of rethinking the way we hire, moving beyond degrees and certificates. Instead of assessing what you’ve done, we should be asking, ‘who do you want to be?’

Lela was just one success story of many who demonstrated the spirit of inclusion fostered by a new approach to experience-based learning. An approach aimed at those who aren’t using the work-integrated learning model prevalent in the post-secondary system.

As someone who studied in London, I’m hugely impressed by how Goodwill Industries has become a beacon of social commerce in the city.

It’s built a meeting place for hundreds of young people to gain valuable occupational skill and life coaching. This model addresses the barriers to access and prepares youth to connect with the labour market, like how to apply for a job, how to communicate with employers, and how to work. The atmosphere is like a bustling start-up drawing people from all over the community, many who visit the thriving café and shop.

This kind of approach is essential to building the social and economic bridges our youth will need in the 2020s and beyond.

The RBC Future Launch partners that I spoke to all are playing an important role – like the YMCA, which employs 1,000 youth in Western Ontario, is helping develop the skills needed to navigate the formal job market. And Youth Opportunities Unlimited, which is helping at-risk youth in London overcome barriers and prepare them by focusing on hands-on skills training.

Their success is taking the established higher education work-integrated learning model and adapting it to the youth they’re helping to support. In this way, it can help promote a culture of lifelong-learning among all youth and the businesses who employ them.

This can only be achieved through better integration between social organizations and corporate Canada, so that the education and guidance young people receive matches well to the skills they’ll need in the workforce.

We have nearly 700,000 youth not in employment, education or training (NEET) in Canada. In a world increasingly disrupted by technology, these youth will only face more uncertainty with each passing year if we don’t embrace a new model.

Business leaders who support and partner with organizations working to help train and support opportunity youth can help unleash the skills of this important cohort. New approaches to experience-based learning need to be embraced, particularly for youth not on universities and college campuses.

The creative, resilient and problem solving young people I met in London are a shining example of how breaking down barriers to access can empower them.

But it’s only because they were given the chance and took the opportunity to succeed.