Too many students are leaving American high schools burdened by a high level of uncertainty about their future. This is evidenced by the estimated 10 million “opportunity youth” between the ages of 16 and 24 who are neither employed nor in school. Today, that number represents around one in three young people.1 The pandemic has functioned as an accelerant of future uncertainty and of the factors impacting young peoples’ decision-making. (In 2018, there were thought to be 4.8 million opportunity youth2, demonstrating that a more than two-fold increase in young people neither in school nor the workforce has likely manifested in the years between 2018 and 2021.) With uncertainty, of course, comes stress. Some 80% of educators now agree that high schoolers are “overwhelmed” with education and career decision-making.3 Even prior to the pandemic, over a third of students were stressed (37%), just under a third (31%) felt fearful, and a full quarter reported feeling entirely overwhelmed about their post high-school options. This stress extends into the workforce, where —in 2019— just 27% of college graduates were working in a field related to their major, and 41% of college graduates were working in a position that didn’t even require a college degree.5 At the crux of the uncertainty crisis are two critical questions that can help alleviate the burdens placed on educators: What more can we do in schools to help prepare young people for the real world? And what really works?
Check out these related articles
![](https://www.asa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Believing-in-the-Potential.png)
![](https://www.asa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Believing-in-the-Potential.png)
Believing in the Potential of a Career Readiness Utopia
At this year’s ASU+GSV conference, Tom Vander Ark of Getting Smart moderated a panel that focused on a reimagining of the education system to be more agile and to better prepare students for the careers ahead of them. He was joined by Joshua Garcia of Tacoma Public Schools, Gary Hoachlander of ConnectED, Kristie Vanauken of […]
![](https://www.asa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Common.png)
![](https://www.asa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Common.png)
Free to Dream: How I was Inspired by the Words of Award-Winning Artist Common
Today, some 5.5 million young people are neither in school nor the workforce and another 728,000 young people are classified as justice involved. Why are there so very many kids who fall into these life-altering categories? The reality is that American kids don’t have enough opportunities in school to dream, plan, experiment, and learn about […]
![](https://www.asa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Rev.png)
![](https://www.asa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Rev.png)
Revolutionizing Youth Career Readiness: ASA’s Impact in 2023 & Beyond
At American Student Assistance® (ASA), every day is an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of young learners. In 2023, we hit a significant milestone, touching the lives of over 15 million students. How did we achieve this? By expanding access to vital career readiness resources and opportunities, empowering students to make informed […]