In the state of California, the number of individuals between the age of 16 and 24 who happen to be unemployed and are also out of school is currently increasing. A total of 850,000 youth in California are unemployed and are no longer in school, according to the Contra Costa Times.

The information on this finding was provided in a report that was released earlier on in the week. As for the nation as a whole, there are 6.5 million youth that are considered disconnected, meaning they do not work or go to school. This has been the lowest employment rate for people of this age group since the beginning of World War II.

The director for Children Now, Jessica Mindnich, has said, “We’re talking about … first employment opportunities that give students a chance to develop some of those really basic skills like how to dress at work.” She also said, “The fact that we have a whole generation of kids that aren’t having these experiences is really problematic, not only for the state, but also for these children and their futures.”

For over a decade, the number of individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 who are not working or attending school in the state of California has rapidly increased by about 35 percent. California and Florida are two states that happen to have the lowest employment rate amongst youth. The state of North Dakota, on the other hand, has a much higher percentage of youth employed, with a total of 45 percent.

For the state of California, many people believe it is difficult to get kids to stay in school. Fred McCasland, the director of the Boys & Girls Clubs in Silicon Valley, is one of those people who find it difficult to keep the kids in school. He has said, “We’ve seen a lot of teens dropping out of school, and once they come of age, not finding a job.” He also said, “By not finishing school, it minimizes their potential to find employment.”

There are often a number of obstacles that stand in the way of these youth finding employment. However, the report provides insight on the best ways to help these youth find employment. One of the suggestions made in the report is that businesses and other non-profit organizations should build projects that would allow youth to participate and gain skills that would be required in a work setting. Youth advocates in the state agree that more work must be done, but they also mentioned that there are different programs that have already been created to help these youth.