Federally Funded Education and Job Training Programs for Low-Income Youth

With the growing demand for highly skilled workers and declining wages for those who are less skilled, low-income youth with limited education and no work experience have few opportunities for gainful employment. Since the Great Depression, the federal government has been funding programs that provide low-income, out-of-school, and unemployed youth with education, job training, and supportive services. These programs are designed to address the multiple barriers to employment faced by these young people and put them on a path toward economic self-sufficiency. This article focuses on three such programs: Job Corps, National Guard Youth ChalleNGe, and Youth Build. Each program is described in detail then evaluation outcomes are discussed.