By Larry K. Williams, TAG president and CEO
Today marks the celebration of International Youth Day, a day dedicated to empowering young people around the world as well as a day for us, at TAG, to assess our investment in and commitment to helping the next generation thrive.
Almost a decade ago, Cathy N. Davidson of the MacArthur Foundation shared a shocking prediction: 65% of students may end up in jobs that don’t exist today. In other words, it’s undeniable that many students will eventually work for companies that haven’t yet been created, in sectors that have yet to be imagined or are in their infancy.
Today’s youth experiences a deep sense of uncertainty about which traditional professions will even exist when they start their careers. Because of this uncertainty, the next generation is overwhelmingly (60%) more interested in starting their own businesses than in working traditional 9-to-5 jobs, according to a survey of teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17.
At TAG, we are committed to setting Georgia’s youth up for success to either work for resilient companies that have kept up with changing times, find positions with organizations creating new, innovative technologies or be the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.
As such, TAG-Ed hosts a High School Internship Program that provides real-world work experience for high-achieving students with strong STEAM aptitude. In addition, TAG-Ed leads a statewide technology apprenticeship program to help young adults gain new skills while earning a wage.
The goal of these hands-on experiences is to provide Georgia’s students and youth with the knowledge and skills they will need to succeed in a job market that may be drastically different than that of today.
You can learn more about STEAM opportunities for youth in Georgia with our Georgia Pathways Magazine.
