A skilled and motivated workforce is vital to the economic health of businesses, families and the community as a whole. When a community has prepared young people with needed skills, employers have a "deep bench" of employees that sustain and grow their businesses. Communities with a high quality emerging workforce experience revenue growth and cost savings for social supports. Young adults ready for work and life are more likely to maintain family-supporting jobs, to be healthy and to contribute to their community.

However, there are indications communities are struggling to perfect their workforce preparation efforts. Employers report shortcomings in the availability, capability or productivity of young workers. The pipeline through educational levels is too often full of holes, particularly for minority or low-income students. And many young adults are falling behind in measures of economic and social well-being. Every community suffers when it’s young people are not ready to take on current needs and future challenges.

Improving or expanding efforts to prepare the emerging workforce involves the entire community: families, educational institutions, businesses, industry and labor groups, government agencies, nonprofit entities and young people themselves. When communities use the multiplicity of resources available collaboratively and intentionally, they can ensure young people have the skills needed to contribute to the economic and social wellbeing of families and the community at large.

Effective use of resources requires a model that addresses both what communities must do to prepare the emerging workforce and what young people must know. The system needs a clear and comprehensive understanding of what must be accomplished together. And, educators, parents and employers need realistic and practical strategies to prepare young people with 21st century work skills. The Emerging Workforce Initiative model of workforce preparation addresses both components.

System Requirements -To prepare the emerging workforce, communities must:

1. Understand the skills employers, the community and individuals need to thrive.
2. Maintain a highly responsive education and training system that teaches these skills.
3. Monitor how well its young people are mastering needed skills.

Strategic Approaches - To be prepared for the workforce, young people must:

1. Understand the communities they belong to and impact.
2. Know about the jobs needed in their community.
3. Learn the skills necessary to fill community jobs.
4. Make plans for success and see them through.

This model is based on the premise that any worker becomes "qualified" for a job based on their ability to perform specific and definable skills, that all young people must be expected to learn job skills that are relevant to their community and that understanding and connecting to one's community is critical to that learning. The Framework for Developing the Emerging Workforce details the model, including specific policies and programs that can be implemented in any community.

The Emerging Workforce Initiative, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization