The “skills gap”—the mismatch between the knowledge, skills, and abilities employers seek in potential employees and the competencies workers actually bring to the job—has been a topic of national conversation, concern, and even controversy for many years. Young people have often been at the center of these discussions. So, too, has the need to prepare new workers with “soft skills,” related to communication, problem solving and critical thinking, and collaboration (to name a few). Recent, national efforts to advance skills-based training and apprenticeship and employment opportunities for youth provide a timely opportunity to integrate knowledge and skills related to workplace safety and health into the soft skills delivered through workforce development programs and initiatives.
Young workers (15–24 years old) make up a small (roughly 13%) yet important component of the U.S. labor force. The benefits of paid work for young people are well known and include the opportunity to earn money, gain independence, and build self-confidence. So are the risks. Young workers require treatment in a hospital emergency department due to work-related injuries at about twice the rate of adult workers (age 25 and up). These incidents can have a lasting impact on quality of life and future workforce participation. A lack of adequate safety training may contribute to adverse health outcomes for young workers. Therefore, safety education and training may play an essential role in promoting the long-term health, well-being, and prosperity of our workforce and of our nation.