>>> NOW TO A YOUNGER DEMOGRAPHIC
IN THE WORKPLACE. ON AVERAGE IN ARIZONA, AROUND
60,000 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GRADUATE EVERY YEAR.
IT'S UNCLEAR HOW MANY WILL PURSUE HIGHER EDUCATION, BUT
NATIONWIDE A GROWING NUMBER OF GRADUATES ARE PURSUING THE
MILITARY OR THE WORKFORCE. HERE IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA, TUCSON
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT WORKS TO CREATE LASTING RELATIONSHIPS.
JAY SLAUTER IS THE EXCLUSIVE DIRECT OVER.
WE BEGIN THE CONVERSATION ABOUT FINDING A PLACE FOR STUDENT
WHO'S ARE CONSIDERED HIGH RISK. >> THERE'S A TERM.
THEY'RE CALLED DISCONNECTED YOUTH.
THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF THEM REALLY WITH OUR PROGRAMS THAT WE
DO THROUGH CONTRACTS WITH PIMA COUNTY, WHEN THEY COME INTO THE
PROGRAM, THEY CAN'T BE IN SCHOOL.
THEY HAVE TO BE OUT OF SCHOOL, HAVE BEEN OUT OF SCHOOL FOR A
PERIOD OF TIME, AT LEAST 30 DAYS.
THEY'RE NOT WORKING. SO LITERALLY THEY ARE
DISCONNECTED IN MANY WAYS. SO, YOU KNOW, THE DEMOGRAPHIC
THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH IS TO BRING IN THESE DISCONNECTED
YOUTH, HELP THEM SEE THAT THERE'S HOPE FOR THE FUTURE,
THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITY, AND HELP THEM SEE OF THAT THERE'S A
PATH. >> IS COLLEGE FOR EVERYONE?
>> A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION.
TUCSON YOUTH DEVELOPMENT SERVES STUDENTS IN TWO CHARTER HIGH
SCHOOLS, AND THESE CHARTER HIGH SCHOOLS SERVE STUDENTS WHO ARE
CONSIDERED TO BE KIND OF AT RISK IN MANY WAYS.
AND SO OUR STUDENTS IN OUR CHARTER HIGH SCHOOLS, MOST OF
THEM DON'T HAVE THE IDEA THAT THEY ARE THERE TO GO ON TO
COLLEGE AFTER THEY FINISH. MOST OF THEM, GREATEST
PERCENTAGE BY FAR, ARE LOOKING AT SOME WAY TO FINISH THEIR HIGH
SCHOOL CAREER AND THEN MAYBE GET A CERTIFICATE IN SOME AREA, A
TRADE PERHAPS, AND GO RIGHT ON INTO THE WORLD OF WORK.
>> SEE IF WE CAN REPLICATE THIS AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
>> THESE ARE INDIVIDUAL WHO'S WILL IMMEDIATELY CONTRIBUTE TO
THE LOCAL ECONOMY. IS IT OUT OF NECESSARITY, OUT OF
WANT, OR PERHAPS A MIXTURE OF BOTH?
>> I THINK INITIALLY IT MAY BE OUT OF NECESSITY MORE THAN OUT
OF WANT. I THINK A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE
THAT WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH FIND THEMSELVES IN
SITUATIONS THAT THEY NEED TO KEEP A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS.
SOME OF THEM HAVE THEIR OWN CHILDREN.
IN MANY CASES THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF THEIR NUCLEAR FAMILIES.
OUT OF NECESSITY, THEY ARE FINDING THEY WANT TO GET THEIR
HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA BECAUSE THEY REALIZE THAT'S GOING TO IMPROVE
THEIR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. BUT THEN OUT OF NECESSITY, THEY
HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO DO THAT AND STILL MEET THE -- YOU KNOW,
THE DAILY REQUIREMENTS OF A LIFE.
>> ARE THESE STUDENTS PREPARED FOR THE WORKFORCE?
THESE ARE NOT NECESSARILY MENIAL JOBS THAT THEY'LL BE GETTING
THEMSELVES INTO, BUT YOU'RE PREPARING THEM FOR OTHER THINGS.
>> THE TYPES OF JOBS THAT OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
SPECIALISTS REALLY TRY TO HELP STUDENTS AND PROGRAM
PARTICIPANTS MOVE INTO ARE JOBS THAT TAKE HIGHER SKILL LEVELS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO THROUGH FEDERAL GRANT
FUNDING THAT ESSENTIALLY IS PASSED DOWN TO US THROUGH THE
STATE AND THROUGH PIMA COUNTY IS WE ARE ABLE TO GIVE, MAYBE IN A
YEAR, AS MANY AS 500, 600, 700 YOUNG PEOPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO
GET PAID TO HAVE THEIR FIRST EXPERIENCE IN AN AREA THAT THEY
MIGHT HAVE INTEREST. WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF
OUR PARTICIPANTS WHO WE HELP GET PLACED IN A MEDICAL OFFICE,
DENTAL OR MEDICAL OFFICE. THROUGH OUR GRANT FUNDING, WE'RE
ABLE TO PROVIDE THEIR PAY DURING THE TIME THEY'RE WORKING, A
CERTAIN NUMBER OF HOURS. BUT AFTER THEY FINISH THEIR
HOURS, THEY HAVE SOME PRACTICAL HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE, BUT IT'S
THE KIND OF EXPERIENCE THAT GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO
TEST THE WATERS IF YOU WILL. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THE YOUNG
PEOPLE HAVE AN IDEA THAT THEY MIGHT WANT TO WORK IN ONE FIELD
OR ANOTHER. THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS, WE CAN
HELP THEM GET INTO A JOB IN THAT FIELD.
THEN WE'RE ABLE TO HELP THEM MOVE INTO THE NEXT STEP AFTER
THAT. >> THEY HAVE A FOUNDATION FOR A
LONG-TERM CAREER. >> THEY DO.
THEY DO. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WE REALLY FOCUS ON TOO IS NOT ONLY THE SPECIFIC SKILL SET THAT
GOES WITH A CAREER, BUT ALSO IT'S FOCUS ON THE WORK READINESS
SKILLS, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO TAKE INTO
CONSIDERATION TO BE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
>> TUCSON YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IS WORKING TO PREPARE THESE
STUDENTS FOR THE WORKPLACE. ARE EMPLOYERS READY TO GREET
THEM WHEN THEY WALK THROUGH THEIR DOORS AND SAY, YOU KNOW,
I'M NOT COLLEGE-BOUND. I WANT TO WORK INSTEAD.
>> THE ANSWER IS ABSOLUTELY YES. WE HAVE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
SPECIALISTS AND OTHER PEOPLE ON OUR STAFF WHO ACTUALLY GO OUT
AND DO WHAT WE CALL JOB DEVELOPMENT WITH POTENTIAL
EMPLOYERS. AND OF COURSE WHEN WE CAN GO TO
AN EMPLOYER AND SAY, WE HAVE GRANT FUNDING THAT WE CAN PLACE
A YOUNG PERSON IN YOUR OFFICE OR IN YOUR BUSINESS OR IN YOUR
SHOP, AND WE'RE GOING TO PAY THE FIRST 300 HOURS OF EXPERIENCE,
YOU KNOW, WITH THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY AND THE WORLD OF WORK
TODAY, THERE'S A LOT OF JOBS. AND A LOT OF EMPLOYERS ARE
REALLY LOOKING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO COME IN AND FILL THOSE JOBS.
>> ALL RIGHT.