New Report Highlights Severity of U.S. Youth Unemployment Crisis

A new report published today by The Brookings Institution shows a steep decline in the employment prospects of young American workers over the past decade. Young people in the nation’s 100 largest metros fared poorly across a number of labor market indicators, including employment rates, labor force underutilization, unemployment, and year-round joblessness. Employment challenges are most significant for young Black and Hispanic workers, as well as those from lower income households. Evidence from this report and others suggests failure to gain an early foothold in the labor market can have serious, long-term implications for the careers and livelihoods of young workers.

“Failure to gain an early foothold in the labor market can have serious, long-term implications for the careers and livelihoods of young workers.”

The Rockefeller Foundation recognizes the severity of the U.S. youth unemployment crisis. We are partnering with The Brookings Institution and others to examine the potential for demand-side strategies, focused on employer engagement and new job creation, to address this problem. Our goal is to create a more inclusive economy that employs more young people in career-building jobs, especially the poor and vulnerable who have been particularly hard hit by this crisis.