Access = Economic Mobility

A few weeks ago, I interviewed someone about a new study of how Gen Z?defines the "American Dream" for an upcoming?Work in Progress podcast. Economic mobility and financial stability are part of that definition, not surprisingly.

When discussing whether young people believe they can actually achieve the American Dream,?I was struck by the number of times the conversation got around to access.

Access to quality jobs. Access to education. Access to opportunity.

According to the survey, young people feel like they don't have access to good jobs and?that education and training are too expensive. They also feel they lack support, social capital, mentorship, and exposure to?opportunity.

They are not alone in those feelings. It's a sentiment we hear quite often in our conversations with workers and job seekers around the country.?

Access to knowledge is also important to them. We've learned that not everyone is aware of the job and training opportunities out there, sometimes in their own backyards.

WorkingNation is telling those stories.

There’s an Apprenticeship for That!

When you think of an apprenticeship, electricians or construction workers are likely to come to mind. Times are changing. There’s a growing wave of earn-and-learn opportunities available in everything from nursing to teaching to commercial fishing.

Our Senior Editor Michael S. James shares some of those opportunities in this article exploring unexpected apprenticeships. Read Now

And don’t miss our video story on that commercial fishing apprenticeship from Executive Producer Melissa Panzer and her team. Watch Now

Affordable Training Near You

All jobs are local. That's why we do a lot of reporting at the community level, as we look at what is being done to attract, retain, and retrain talent locally. Community colleges play a big role in the effort.

Kinston, North Carolina, is just one example. Like many other towns, its mayor and other civic leaders are working with local businesses to see what kinds of jobs they need to fill. They're bringing in the nearby community college to create training programs to prepare residents for those jobs, giving them access to increased economic stablity and mobility.

It's a big community effort that is paying off, as our Senior Correspondent Laura Aka finds in her latest reporting for our Focus On… series. Read Now

It All Adds Up

Data analysts and data scientists are in big demand, but access to the needed training may seem out of reach for some young people. That's where Howard University is stepping in.

The university partnered with Google and the National Equity Lab to offer a year-long?data analytics course that introduces students at high schools with high rates of poverty to the field.

Math, free training, and certifications equal better access to the data economy for these teens, and more than?33,000 high schoolers have taken the course already. Find out what the students learned and how it improved their access to higher education in this article.?Read Now

Can AI Help You Find the Right Career?

Now, let's talk artificial intelligence. When we were at CES in January, we stopped by a lot of booths touting the next big thing in AI. That’s where we met Celeste, the interactive career coach.

Knowledge is power – economic power. Do you know how your skills can give you access to an in-demand career? Can AI help you make the right career choice? These are interesting questions that Celeste hopes to answer for you.?

Learn more about it in this article from Victoria Lim and decide for yourself. Read Now

Is AI Helping or Hurting Older Workers?

For workers 50 and over, and for those that work to ensure their access to economic opportunity, there are important questions being asked around AI and its impact on older workers.

Can AI offer us a boost, does it level the playing field, or is it yet another obstacle to surmount? What do older workers need to know about it to be a part of today's workforce??

Those are the question we’re answering later this month in a virtual panel I'm moderating for our partner The Encore Network. It's March 19. Tune in and you'll hear from Mona Mourshed, founding global CEO, Generation; Wendi Safstrom, president, SHRM Foundation; Mary Cronin, professor, Boston College; and Alex Swartsel, managing director, Jobs for the Future's JFF Labs. Learn More

WorkingNation on the Road

The crossroads of education and workforce is in Austin this week. And so is WorkingNation.?We'll be back on the ground at SXSW EDU 2025,?marking our fourth year as a media partner with the conference.

We're reporting on the future of education – from K-12 through continuing education and beyond – and its impact on workforce and career readiness.? On Thursday morning. Katie Brown, founder and chief education officer, EnGen; Jina Krause-Vilmar, president and CEO, Upwardly Global; and Arturo Cázares, CEO,?Latino Business Action Network, join me on stage for a WorkingNation panel.

We're discussing the contribution immigrants already make to the country’s economy, and how increasing access to education and good-paying jobs will make that impact even greater.?If you're at the conference, please join us.?Learn More

Across the country, from big cities to small farm communities, the lack of access to broadband is a barrier to education and work. With so much of our lives playing out in the digital world, it is more crucial than ever.

We've seen that some level of digital skills are already required in nearly every job. And many learning and training opportunities are happening online.?On March 12, WorkingNation is onstage at Connected America 2025 in Dallas, examining efforts to close the?digital divide and the role of digital navigators in bridging that gap. Learn More

Before I Go...

Interested in the Work in Progress podcast about what Gen Z thinks about the American Dream? You can find it on our website and wherever you get your podcasts on March 11.

A reminder we are always adding new content about the future of work and workers on our website. Bookmark and check-in often for the latest articles, podcasts, and videos?at?WorkingNation.org.

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Until next time,

Ramona Schindelheim, WorkingNation editor-in-chief