To build a brighter future for Alexandria youth and the broader community, we are investing in solutions to strengthen the youth career readiness and employment system.
In 2024, ACT launched a Youth CTE & Employment Work Group to better understand the support systems available to youth seeking fulfilling careers, meaningful employment opportunities, and brighter futures. The group includes more than 50 leaders from city government, Alexandria City Public Schools, local nonprofits, funders, higher education institutions, and local and regional employers. Guided by an “open systems” framework, the group focuses on breaking down silos, fostering cross-sector partnerships and building rust within the community.
This Youth Employment & CTE Working Group Objectives include:
- Enhancing youth career readiness opportunities and outcomes
- Streamlining resources by promoting cross-sector collaboration
- Addressing systemic barriers to create equitable opportunities for marginalized youth
- Developing a youth employment pipeline aligned with regional workforce needs
Between April and October 2024, the group met bi-weekly to identify critical challenges and opportunities within our current ecosystem. Drawing on best practices and insights from communities across the country, key findings were identified to more effectively support Alexandria’s young people. Click below for a brief overview of the work to date and the Working Group Report that documents our learning journey.
From Classroom to Career, Youth Employment and CTE Working Group Report
Youth Employment & CTE Working Group Report
Moving forward, we will be creating a program map with a cohesive referral system to connect youth to valuable resources. We will identify opportunities to enhance services, address gaps and eliminate overlaps. We will continue to build strong partnerships with employers to create a robust pipeline of opportunities, including expanding access to work-based learning programs. Our goal is to establish a unified data structure to track youth outcomes and program impact to enhance our ability to measure success. Finally, we will prioritize social-emotional learning and support services to foster greater youth development. We know engaging parents, families and mentors will also strengthen the support system. All of this will be done with a commitment to building trust through transparency, intentionality and shared responsibility.
“As a member of the Youth Employment and CTE Working Group, the Workforce Development Center’s Youth Team has fostered valuable connections with community partners and employers. ACT plays a crucial role in uniting us to address shared challenges, enabling us all to more effectively support and serve the Alexandria community.” – Katrina Ashmore, Chief of Workforce Development, City of Alexandria
For more information, please contact Brandi Yee at brandi.yee@actforalexandria.org