What Works in Youth Employment: The Impact of New Information Technologies

This 71-page report focuses on general trends shaping the job market, especially their impact on youth employment opportunities and training needs. The evolving implications of the digital divide, including potential solutions, are also addressed.

From the Foreword
What Works in Youth Employment: The Impact of New Information Technologiesasks practitioners - as well as policy makers, educators, and others who can influence the youth development field - to explore the challenges of "preparing young people to fill jobs that have not yet been imagined with tools that have not yet been created." The publication addresses the following topics:

• The historical context and scope of youth employment
• General trends shaping job markets
• Job market shifts resulting from technological advances
• The impact of such shifts on youth employment opportunities
• New training requirements for youth
• The evolving implications of the "digital divide" and potential solutions
• The potential roles of the public, private, and civil society sectors in ensuring that advances in new technology enhance the job prospects of young people around the world

The report explores the global employment context faced by today's young people. In particular, it examines how information technologies are transforming the world and employment and livelihood opportunities, and what the implications of these changes are for young people growing up in a variety of national and social contexts. Although several examples are drawn directly from the information technology industry, the report looks at other sectors as well. It also explores how government, business, and civil society can and must work together to create more effective policies and programs to meet the challenge of preparing young people to fulfill the social, economic, and civic roles they need them to play.

Our hope is that this report will be particularly useful for those engaged in supporting youth development and youth employment and livelihood programs. It is also intended to prompt all of us to think about how we can play a role in improving the opportunities and quality of life that young people experience.

Table of Contents

• Foreword by Rick Little
• Introduction
• Brief History and Context
• General Trends Shaping Job Markets
• Job Market Shifts Resulting from Technological Advances
• Impact of Shifts on Youth Employment Opportunities
• New Training Requirements in Youth Employment
• Evolving Implications of the Digital Divide and Ways to Address It
• Roles of the Government, Business, and Civil Society Sectors
• Conclusion
• Select Bibliography on Youth Employment

This paper is part of a series of "What Works" publications published by IYF that examine issues in the youth development field. The series aims to provide practitioners, policymakers, and others supporting youth initiatives with insights into effective practices and innovative approaches impacting young people worldwide.

To order a paper copy of this publication, please contact: youth@iyfnet.org