While our nation has recently seen progress in the recovery, this hasn't fully translated to young adults who are still getting left behind, especially here in New York City where the young adult unemployment rate is 18 percent. This is more than 10 percent higher than that of older populations in our city. The youth unemployment crisis affects not just Millennials, but taxpayers of every generation. On average, one unemployed 18 to 24-year-old will cost the federal and state government more than $4,100 each year in tax revenue forgone and social benefits paid.
I was always taught that education somehow led immediately to careers, so I stayed the course. I worked hard, fought through tough personal challenges, graduated high school despite not always receiving needed educational supports, and will receive my Bachelor's Degree in December. Yet this is no longer a guarantee of success - my career hunt and the career hunts of my peers remain daunting, and I remain uncertain as to whether I'll be able to find a quality job after graduation.
In this tough job market, too many young New Yorkers aren't getting the training they need to be competitive, largely because New York hasn't properly invested in its youth. Out of all state expenditures in 2012, only 7.6 percent went to education. Our state's disinvestment in higher education, and in turn the rise in the cost of college, is greatly restricting Millennials' ability to gain to obtain necessary degrees. This makes our city's education-to-career formula broken: we are seeking skills training and access to college, yet we become saddled with student loan debt, forced to sink or swim in a post-recession economy, and often unable to flourish in our fields of study. We need resources and platforms to gain career exposure and exercise our passions.
While we know that postsecondary education is essential to getting a job now, our current policies don't reflect a critical consideration: there are more options for job training than just a four-year degree. Alternative programs, like apprenticeships, directly connect young adults to paid, on-the-job training experiences and to longer-term career opportunities with an average starting salary of $50,000 and increased lifetime earnings of more than $300,000 than their peers. Increased government support for these programs would award my generation a chance at entering the workforce more prepared and with better clarity on what we want to achieve. New York has legislation to build on the success of apprenticeships: New York State Assemblymember Harry Bronson and State Senator Patrick Gallivan introduced the Empire State Apprenticeship Program, which provides tax credits to employers who host apprenticeship programs and would allow for non-profits to access resources allowing them to set up apprenticeship programs as well.
I'm hopeful our New York state legislators will continue working towards stronger career training programs for my generation. To find better pathways to jobs, innovate our training programs, and build our economy through young people, the best place to start is to actually talk to us. We can participate by sharing our experiences from apprenticeship programs or by illuminating the need for more of these kinds of opportunities in our communities. Employers are constantly seeking the best methods to engage Millennial workers, while government leaders continue to scramble to invest in youth. One immediate step is to increase the young adult voice and representation on the state's Workforce Investment Board to help make decisions and inform strategy on how resources are allocated.
The need to better connect young adults to opportunities directly linked to careers must be a priority and young adults should be part of the process. For the 35 percent of young adults who are either out of work, out of school or in low-wage jobs without opportunity for advancement, their future depends on smart evidenced-based policies that are informed by the needs of the economy.
Keenan Coppin-Thom is a New York native pursuing a degree in Justice Studies with a minor in Communications at Arizona State University.