Connecting Youth with Apprenticeships

Some countries recognize a “leap year” for highschoolers.  This is when newly highschool graduates take off one year in between highschool and college.  Some youth might clear their heads by picking up a back pack and traveling, or working a full time job or sitting on their bum eating fish and chips.  However, this “leap year” is suppose to help guide a person towards their ultimate career and life choice.

Here in America we don’t enable that type of behavior.  We have you on a career track by age 13, writing college prep papers at 15 and applying for over-priced schools at 17 and starting a lifetime of debt at 18.  Is this the best solution for all?

Disabled youth get lost in the sea of statistics of the unemployed, drop out youth and have become stereotyped as “unable because disabled”.  However, an apprenticeship is something that could change statistics, help youth gain hands on job experience, and maybe even clear a child’s head and point him/her in the direction they do or don’t want to go down.  Now this sounds like a plan for all: the disabled, unable and fully able.

With over 1,000 recognizable apprentice-able occupations, why not explore additional options for the new youth of America?

The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth explores in the ins and outs of completing a successful apprenticeship.

Read it and soak it up!