We've added Business Services as a new Skill Cluster...and other news!

YouthForce NOLA Adds Business Services as Skill Cluster

The YouthForce NOLA collaborative is working to ensure that New Orleans public school graduates are the most sought-after talent for hiring and advancement in the region’s high-wage, fast-growing industries. To do this, we’re preparing students with the skills they need to succeed in career pathways that have the greatest economic opportunity. Our programs are focused around Skill Clusters: Health Sciences, Digital Media/IT, Skilled Crafts, and now, Business Services.Business Services was added because related jobs - such as clerks, accountants, and customer service reps - exist across industries and there is significant transferability of skills. Furthermore, business services account for 17% of all projected job openings across Louisiana and the wages range from from $11/hr up to $58/hr.The latest research continues to underscore that all our skill clusters set students up for the greatest economic success. Just this month, GNO, Inc. announced that Greater New Orleans is #7 in the US for highest growth in technology and digital media. This news builds on our region’s national rankings as #2 for the percentage of women and #9 for the percentage of African-Americans in tech jobs. And these jobs boast an average salary of over $70,000. GNO, Inc., also just released GNO by the Numbers for Q3, which is further evidence that our skills clusters are well suited to prepare NOLA grads for quality careers.Working with our collaborative, YouthForce NOLA is passionate about our ongoing work to bridge the opportunity gap between the high-wage job openings and skill sets of New Orleans public school graduates. The new Business Services skill cluster is just the latest tangible step towards more successful careers and economic prosperity for all. 

>> If you’re an employer with business services careers and who would like to participate in our programming, please contact: Sarah Bell at sarahb@youthforcenola.org.

Exploring Best Practices in Los Angeles

A contingent of representatives from YouthForce NOLA, the New Orleans Business Alliance, our partner schools, and the New Orleans Career Center joined with educators from across the country this month in Los Angeles at Da Vinci Schools, which operates five public charter schools and a post-secondary pathway leading to college degree completion. The participants exchanged and explored best practices around work-based learning, mastery-based grading and assessment, students supports and advisory, project-based learning, and career pathways. YouthForce NOLA Convenes School Leader Advisory Committee YouthForce NOLA is a convener of stakeholders working to improve outcomes for New Orleans public school graduates. One of the most important groups in our collaborative is school leaders, and we created the School Leader Advisory Committee in 2016 so that they can share ideas and explore opportunities. At our first meeting of the year in September, school leaders explored characteristics of schools at different stages along the transformation continuum in implementing integrated Career Pathways Programs of Study. During this time they were able to identify their schools’ strengths and challenges and identify areas of growth for this school year. This month’s meeting focused on looking at the differences between various types of work-based learning opportunities, identifying challenges and needs for strong implementation.

>> If you’re a school leader who would like to participate in the Advisory Committee, please contact: Imani Miller at imani@youthforcenola.org.

Grantmakers for Education Youth Panel

NOLA youth were center stage during a panel moderated by YouthForce NOLA President Cate Swinburn during the 23rd annual Grantmakers for Education conference last week in New Orleans. Themed Supporting Students in Overcoming Adversity: Agency, Justice, Equity, this year's conference brought together education grantmakers, practitioners, youth, and experts to share talent, insights, and strategies. On the panel, local students shared their experiences and presented valuable lessons for improving education outcomes. 

YouthForce NOLA and Mayor Cantrell Participate at Results for America Summit

YouthForce NOLA joined Mayor LaToya Cantrell and officials from her administration at the Results for America’s 2019 Summit earlier this month in Washington, D.C., which spotlighted “What Works to Advance Economic Mobility.” On a panel with other mayors, Mayor Cantrell spoke of our collective work in New Orleans to close the skills gap, saying, "What we see is that if we do not focus on growing that capacity and closing that gap, then we will not be preparing the residents of New Orleans, the young people of the city, to take advantage of those opportunities." YouthForce is proud to have such a committed and focused partner in Mayor Cantrell.At the Summit, too, YouthForce NOLA President Cate Swinburn presented on the collaborative’s work to increase economic mobility by improving access to career pathways programs.

LDOE News: Louisiana Aims to Expand Debt-free Opportunities for High School Students to Earn Career Skills, Credit Towards College Degree

School systems, colleges and employers across Louisiana have the opportunity to raise their hands to pilot a new, innovative education initiative called an "Extension Academy," an alternative graduation model that enables select students to participate in a fifth year of high school to earn career skills and credit toward a college degree, and in turn, boost their chances of success following graduation. The priority application deadline for the 2020-2021 school year is November 20.>> Read More

Register Now for the Urban League of Louisiana’s Schools Expo on Nov. 16

YouthForce NOLA Steering Committee organization, Urban League of Louisiana, will be convening its annual Schools Expo on November 16 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.>> Learn More + RegisterWe’re Hiring: 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant Project DirectorYouthForce NOLA was awarded a 21st Century Community Learning Center Federal grant, administered by the Louisiana Department of Education, to provide more youth with access to quality technical training and increase their likelihood of future economic mobility.

We are hiring a Project Director to ensure programmatic compliance and to support stakeholders.>> Learn More + Apply