Youth employment working group

Background

BCAPI engaged Deloitte to complete a 2021 poverty study for Saint John. The findings, in part, showed:

• High rates of youth unemployment, compared to other age groups

• 1 in 7 youth, 18 to 24 years, were NEET (not in education, training, or employment).

• NEET Youth are at risk of lifetime poverty.

(find the full Deloitte study here).

The proportion of young people aged 15-29 who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) has been closely followed by governments for 20 years. It is used to measure social exclusion, economic inactivity, and levels of disengagement from labour markets. Young people who are not in employment or education may be experiencing difficulties making the transition from school to the labour market and could also be at a higher risk for long-term economic and social difficulties.

Furthermore, NEET youth are not easy to reach. They are more likely to have poorer self-reported physical and mental health, and higher levels of disengagement. Lack of employment prospects can create feelings of social exclusion and can contribute to anti-social behaviors such as crime.

BCAPI determined that strengthening the employment pathways for youth, particularly disadvantaged youth, must become a priority.

The report’s recommendations included:

• Working with organizations to scale up programs that attach at-risk youth to the workforce

• Achieve an expanded commitment from the larger community to support, train and hire the youth.

Action

BCAPI formed a working group to better understand the data and build a course of action to strengthen youth employment pathways in Greater Saint John.

Members of the Youth Employment Working Group initiated a pilot project in 2023 – A NEET Youth Full Stack Boot Camp – to provide a direct pathway into the tech industry.

See their first year’s report here.

Purpose

Build knowledge of youth employment opportunities, barriers, gaps, in our region.

Understand the support mechanisms in place today to assist vulnerable youth who are currently in high school and youth, 18 to 24 years who are NEET.

Build recommendations for next steps.

Discuss findings and recommendations with the BCAPI Leadership and key stakeholders in Greater Saint John.

Help implement next steps.

Members and research foundation

Working Group Members

Senator Jim Quinn & Patrick Oland - Co-Chairs

Rob Belliveau

Mary Butler

Melanie Dowd-Martell

Paulette Hicks

Derek Oland

Cathy Simpson

Rodney Weston

Peter Wilson

Monica Chaperlin

The BCAPI Youth Employment Working Group invited presentations from education and employment leaders who helped us better understand the current situation, what organizations were involved, and how youth were being connected to skilling opportunities and jobs. We learned from:

Saint John Learning Exchange - Christina Fowler, ED

GNB, Education & Early Childhood Development - Beth Henderson, Sherry Dumont

GNB, PETL, Apprenticeships - Mike Barnett

Military - Captain Adair Howe

GNB, Social Development - Eric Beaulieu, Sue Haley

Port Saint John - Al Bodechon

New Brunswick Community College - Jamie Watson

The members of the Working Group and others.

Interventions

The committee undertook a discovery phase where organizations working with GSJ youth came and presented data and information about NEET youth and youth who are at risk of NEET; the challenges they face, the support systems in place and the linkages to skills training and jobs and how our community can help prevent and reduce NEET.

After gathering this information and reviewing related literature, the working committee workshopped key learnings and proposed next steps.

The stats

Youth, aged 15 to 24, who are not in education, employment or training (NEET):

In Canada:

  • 1 in 11 Youth are NEET

In Saint John:

  • 1 in 7 Youth are NEET

  • 1,100 in the City of Saint John

  • 1,400 (Saint John, Rothesay and Quispamsis)

What we learned: Youth (in high school)

  • Most high school youth are unaware of the breadth of employment opportunities and pathways

  • Too many students, particularly from low-income households, graduate from high school unprepared for continuing education and/or employment.

What we learned - NEET Youth (18-24 years of age)

  • NEET Youth are disproportionately from households in the lowest income quintile. Once the youth leave high school, it is difficult to find them. The Dept of Social Development can track those who receive Social Assistance.

  • Youth, generally, do not seek out employment services to help them. They respond directly to job ads.

  • Among provinces, NB has the lowest % of youth, 20 to 29 years, in school (NBCC report)

  • Notable programs for NEET Youth: SJ Learning Exchange (UYES – Urban Youth Employment/Education Service) , YMCA (Newcomer Connections), ONE Change (ONE Future), NBCC (Essential Skills Pathway pilot), First Steps.

  • Youth who live in poverty often require help addressing multiple barriers to employment – entrenched poverty beliefs; lacking income for basic needs (housing, nutrition, childcare, transportation, IT tools, etc.); lacking a high school diploma; health issues, eg) addictions, mental health, chronic conditions; lacking essential skills for the workplace; affording post-secondary education/training; understanding employment options and pathways.

  • The most effective education/employment services provide comprehensive help.

What we learned - Employers

  • Employers are having great difficulty finding workers with the skills they need

  • There are many job vacancies, in our region, particularly in some sectors

  • We lack specific information about the job opportunities for entry positions, in our region

  • Most employers are unprepared for the future of work

  • There are multiple apprenticeship opportunities, yet employers and youth are not connecting in sufficient numbers. (In NB, 72.7% of jobs do not require a university degree but may require college/apprenticeship paths)

  • The youth unemployment rate in NB is persistently and significantly above both the national rate and other age groups, yet, it appears:

  • Few employers are actively recruiting youth

  • Few employers are actively training youth for entry jobs

What we learned - Parents and educators

  • Parents and educators are not aware of the breadth of employment opportunities and pathways, in our region

  • There are employment resources in the community, i.e. Work Rooms, and online tools. However, there are few connectors helping our young people navigate through the possibilities, gain awareness and experience, and find their path.

  • There are some new initiatives under development, such as NBCC’s - Every New Brunswicker – the concept aims to provide skills evaluation for free + the employment opportunities that are available.

What the Working Committee learned

  • We lack data on the job market in our region overall and particularly for entry level positions

  • Employers are struggling with the decline in eligible candidates but aren’t ready or equipped to train youth for these positions. They also may not be aware of youth unemployment.

  • We must increase our understanding about the future of work and the skills required.

  • Youth unemployment problem and the long-term consequences needs a higher profile in the region.

  • There are local initiatives underway to assist youth, but co-ordination may be a problem between youth and employers.

  • This problem is complicated, and more stakeholders need to understand the complexity and drive solutions together.

  • This is a great problem to work on together.

BCAPI’s role

To leverage the business community to improve youth employment rates by understanding the barriers for youth who are at risk of NEET and helping to strengthen their pathways to the workforce.

Helping to scale-up current programs that are demonstrating success, like PALS En Route To Success and UYES!.

One of BCAPI’s main roles is to leverage ‘collective vision and action’ by business, education, social development, and employment service leaders to test and adopt new approaches that strengthen the pathways to employment for Youth, particularly youth who are at risk.

Looking forward

Working Group Goals:

Greater Saint John becomes a recognized leader in improving youth employment opportunities, growing the population, and achieving economic growth.

Establish coordinated leadership among the ecosystem partners to strengthen youth pathways to employment.

Prevent and reduce the number of youth in poverty who are NEET or at-risk of NEET, through employment.

Engage employers, educators, human service providers (gov’t + community) and youth in the solutions.