World Youth Opportunity Inc

Description

Young adults, ages 13+, need additional skills and resources to be competitive in the ever-changing job market. According to the WYO Inc., approximately 45 percent of the job openings in the next ten years will be in "middle level" jobs, those that may require a high school diploma but not necessarily a bachelor’s degree.

As schools prepare students to be career- and college-ready, a number of young adults are being left behind because of a lack of interest and engagement in school. Others face additional barriers that make school success difficult to attain. Emerging and existing programs are working to fill this gap by helping students build on skills they already have while also learning how to refine those skills and leverage them into paid employment.

Both of these programs focus on connecting youth to adults in the workforce, teaching valuable networking skills that translate beyond a single experience, and empowering them to find meaningful work that builds on their own interests and experiences.