Introduction
The workplace landscape for disadvantaged youth in the United States is more precarious than it has been at any other time in the past eighty years. According to a June 2013 report by the Center for American Progress, 22.5 percent of teens ages 16 to 19 are unemployed, and 1.4 million teens are neither enrolled in school nor working. Young people in general can have a hard time positioning themselves with employers due to age, shortage of experience and maturity, and lack of education and skills. Certain subpopulations face even greater barriers due to factors including race, sex, and socioeconomic status. These challenges are heightened during an economic downturn. They are heightened right now as well by the fact that the basic nature of work is in a state of flux. Smart algorithms and networked robotics are transforming the meaning of work. Online labor markets like oDesk and the growth of sharing economy platforms hint toward fewer full-time jobs. Automation is increasingly displacing workers from routine manufacturing and service jobs. Many entry-level jobs and minimum-wage tasks are on their way out, if not already gone. On top of all that, the school-to-work pipeline doesn’t function like it used to—a college degree is no longer a surefire ticket to a good job.