Global and Local Youth Unemployment: Dislocation and Pathways

������ We know that a person’s chance of finding employment depends largely on their employment history. This is especially true for youth. National studies have shown that early employment experiences shape youth’s earning potential for the rest of their lifetime [1]. Youth unemployment rates, however, have recently reached highs that have not been seen since 1948. Youth unemployment rates for workers ages 16-24 peaked at 19.2% in September of 2009 [2]. Youth are now two times more likely to be unemployed than adult workers, and although youth only comprise 13.5% of the workforce, they represent 26.4% of the unemployed [2]. We know that the recession will not last forever, but today’s youth may feel its effects for the rest of their working lives.