Bridging the Gap: Preparing 17- to 24-Year-Olds for the Professional World

In my work, I'm often helping leaders figure out how to recruit and retain 17 to 24 year old team members. In this article I address one of the challenges that shows up in retention.

The Struggle of Transitioning from School to Work for 17- to 24-Year-Olds

If you're hiring 17-24 year old employees, it's important to understand the world that they are coming to you from.

They are either fresh out of high school or fresh out of college/higher ed programs. If they have had a job or internship before, it was often in either a highly structured academic setting, or it was at a restaurant or retail store. All of those situations have something in common.

Structure.

In school, there is a syllabus or lesson plan. There are assignments with rubrics. Regular grades and testing. On sports teams there are schedules for every practice and match and you are given feedback in the form of team performance in the match.

Even in typical entry level jobs of retail and restaurants, the work is very task oriented and every day there are clear expectations for what to do when and how. If they are working for a chain like McDonalds or JCPenney's, everything is documented in standard operating procedures and there is a very structured onboarding and training program in which you are told how to do every single task.

From Classroom to Cubicle: The Shock of Autonomy

In school, students are guided by a clear, often meticulously detailed roadmap—from syllabi outlining every assignment, to calendars marking every significant date. Success and failure are clearly defined, measured by rubrics and grades assigned by teachers and professors. This system leaves little room for ambiguity, fostering an environment where expectations are externally set and followed.

Contrast this with the typical workplace, particularly in settings that lack the rigid structure like local nonprofits or small businesses. Here, young employees are frequently met with broad goals and minimal direction on how to achieve them. The expectation to self-manage—to plan, prioritize, and seek help when necessary—can be overwhelming.

It's not that these employees don't want to have autonomy or are lazy or unmotivated. It is like writing with your left hand if you are right handed. It's requires a different way of working, which requires the recognition that you are trying to do something differently.

Navigating New Norms: The Need for Enhanced Onboarding

The transition issue is not a matter of capability; rather, it's about acclimatization to a different set of expectations and working styles. We need to set young employees up for success in the shift from seeking external validation to developing internal judgment and initiative.

The first and most important step is just naming the reality. Get to know your new hire. Meet them where they are? Ask them about their past experience with work, with learning new things, and with being part of a team. Help them recognize what transferrable skills they already have. For example, perhaps they were an athlete. Their experience playing sports may actually have more similarity to their new work environment than their past work or internship experience.

Effective onboarding programs are crucial in facilitating this transition. They need to do more than introduce company policies and procedures; they should bridge the gap between academic and professional environments. Understanding that new hires might be navigating this shift for the first time is the first step towards tailoring training programs and team building that integrate rather than divide.

For example, I worked with one nonprofit to host an afternoon team building session for their summer employees. The majority of these employees were in the 18-24 year old demographic. I designed the session so that we started with warm up activities that were more structured and help them feel comfortable and get to know one another. Next, I randomly assigned them to groups and then they worked in a small group to lead an activity for the rest of the team. After each activity, we debriefed as a whole group which strengthened the leadership skills of continuous learning and interpersonal communication.

Conclusion: Supporting Young Employees Through Transition

Organizations that recognize and address the unique challenges faced by young workers can significantly ease their transition into the workforce. By designing training programs and team building activities that acknowledge the shift from a structured academic world to a self-driven work environment, employers can help young adults not only adjust but excel in their new roles.