The Department of Labor details the WIA Youth program in a new publication. WIA Youth services are designed for youth who are low-income, in- or out-of-school, aged 14-21 with one or more of the following barriers to employment: (1) deficient in basic literacy skills; (2) a school dropout; (3) homeless, a runaway, or in foster care; (4) pregnant, or parenting; (5) an offender; or (6) an individual (including a youth with a disability) who requires additional assistance to complete an educational program or to secure and hold employment. These youth are eligible to receive services to prepare them for post-secondary educational and employment opportunities, attain educational and/or skills training credentials, and secure employment.

This program is designed to improve the long-term job prospects of young people by providing basic skills, work readiness skills, occupational training, and citizenship skills. Local communities collaborate and establish partnerships, bringing together local workforce training providers, schools, community-based organizations, and other entities. WIA calls on local areas to create opportunities for youth that integrate key programmatic components such as preparation for post-secondary opportunities, linkages between academic and occupational learning, connections to the local job market, and appropriate follow-up services.

Career and employment success for at-risk young people is rooted in ongoing connections with parents, caregivers, friends, mentors, advocates, communities, schools, and employers. Specific tools and strategies can help in this process. Expanding on the It’s My Life transition framework, this concise handbook from the Casey Family Programs is intended for child welfare professionals and others responsible for helping young people prepare for transition to adulthood and the workplace. This guide provides the following recommendations to help prepare young people for employment:

• Start early to develop employability
• Cultivate interests and skills, and relate them to future employment
• Promote activities that help young people explore careers
• Build job-readiness skills
• Help young people get and keep jobs
• Promote work-related education and training after high school

It’s My Life: Employment focuses on the needs of youth in foster care, but this guide (published in 2004) outlines specific recommendations for assisting youth with multiple and complex barriers to transition to college and career.