Measures of Readiness

Helping communities, schools and families to prepare all youth and young adults for the 21st century workforce.
The Initiative is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

To idenfity the specific steps to ensure all young people have the skills work and life success, data from a variety of sources must be collected and understood. In addition to widely available academic measures, the Emerging Workforce Initiative assists communities and schools to review indicators of college and career readiness from many perspectives.

Employers - Ultimately, the efforts of parents, schools and communities to prepare young people will be measured against the demands of the labor market. Indicators of success include:

- Number of applicants or students in the education pipeline for high-demand and critical careers;
- Number of youth holding employer-validated work readiness credentials;
- Aggregate costs for training young adult workers in workplace and basic skills;
- Percentage of employers that drive the economy participating in workforce preparation activities.

Youth and Young Adults - Success in college and career are often measured by academic standards alone. While these indicators (ACT/SAT and other standardized tests, advanced course taking, college GPA) are valuable, they don't look far enough into the future. Indicators of long-term readiness should include:

- Percentage of the community's young adults living in poverty or economically dependent on public or family support;
- Average monthly income of the community's young adults;
- Employment stability of young adults, as reflected in rates of unemployment, turnover, and labor participation;
- Number of high school and college graduates employed in a field and level appropriate to their degree or diploma.

Educational System - An inclusive, comprehensive and effective system of school and community based learning opportunities will result in a well-prepared workforce. Indicators of success include:

- Percentage of 16-24 year-olds attending school or working and characteristics of those who are not currently enrolled or employed;
- Percentage of youth in a community who have career goals and a specific plan for reaching them;
- Number of students participating in high quality co-op, employment, magnet or career academy, internship or apprenticeship experiences;
- Percentage of minority, at-risk, and disadvantaged young people who participating in workforce preparation programs.

To receive upcoming reports on measures of college and career readiness, send your contact information to the Emerging Workforce Initiative.

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