Washington, U.S.A. — Generation Opportunity, one of the largest grassroots organizations connecting with young Americans through advanced social media outreach and traditional, boots-on-the-ground organizing, released the non-seasonally adjusted (NSA) 18-29 unemployment rate data for June:

The youth unemployment rate for 18-29 year olds specifically (NSA) for June 2012 is 12.8 percent.

The declining labor participation rate has created an additional 1.735 million young adults that are not counted as “unemployed” by BLS because they are not in the labor force, meaning that those young people have given up looking for work due to the lack of jobs.

If the labor force participation rate were factored into the overall 18-29 youth unemployment calculation, the actual 18-29-unemployment rate would rise to 16.8 percent (NSA).

Generation Opportunity President Paul T. Conway, former Chief of Staff for the United States Department of Labor and the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM), responded to the June 2012 jobs numbers:

“For young Americans, through no fault of their own, their story is one of few opportunities, delayed dreams, and stalled careers. Today’s unemployment numbers tell the story of millions of young Americans who are paying the price for the failed policies coming out of Washington that have inhibited economic opportunity and job creation.”

“Despite the challenges they face, this generation is not asking what their country can do for them. Instead, they stand ready to do more for their country, to continue their service beyond the contributions they have already made as brave defenders of freedom across the globe, as selfless rebuilders of disaster-torn communities here at home, and as confident advocates for greater opportunity for all Americans.”

“While leaders in Washington travel to communities to make campaign promises and seek to place blame for the results of their failed policies, young Americans are looking for more than rhetoric.”

“In 2012, their message to candidates is clear – we want to build our careers, get on with our lives, and fulfill our dreams. If the only solutions you offer mean less jobs and more debt for the country, the stakes are too high to risk our vote on a bad bet.”

Generation Opportunity has been encouraging its Facebook fans, as well as its thousands of grassroots supporters across the nation, to call the White House and demand that the policies of the last three and a half years, which have stifled job creation, be reversed in favor of policies that free up Americans to create jobs, to hire, and to restore the American tradition of access to opportunity for all.

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Milwaukee, U.S.A. — Manpower Group, the a leader in workforce solutions, will serve as a trusted advisor on developing work-ready competencies in individuals through an official alliance with INJAZ al-Arab, a Junior Achievement Worldwide member which works with corporate and government authorities in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in transforming youth into business leaders.

According to a Memorandum of Understanding signed at the recent World Economic Forum on the Middle East, North Africa and Eurasia 2012, Manpower Group will advise INJAZ al-Arab on entrepreneurship training for Arab youth to be provided via an online portal and also help create a think tank that will identify policy and future training designed to up-skill youth as entrepreneurs.

E-learning that leverages Manpower Group’s expertise on skills development will give more youth access to the competencies training needed to secure work or create new businesses, which in part help create the jobs needed in this region. And as a social network, the online portal will connect youth with each other, mentors and potential sources of capital – to combat youth exclusion in the Arab world.

“Youth unemployment and underemployment are creating an underclass of unskilled, unprepared youth,” said David Arkless, Manpower Group President of Corporate and Government Affairs. “Entrepreneurial training does more than just mobilize future potential business owners. It builds leadership and networking skills that can be applied across the business world – enabling young people to more effectively launch and sustain careers.”

Not all youth exposed to the training will incubate companies. But all youth need to be work-ready to compete in today’s increasingly competitive Human Age economy. This training platform will also improve academic motivation and an understanding of how individuals drive business success.

“Aligning ourselves with a global leader like Manpower Group is a tremendous milestone in the quest to promote youth entrepreneurship in the Arab world,” said Soraya Salti, INJAZ al-Arab Regional Director and Junior Achievement Senior Vice President, MENA. “Our combined efforts will help empower a new generation of Arab youth to redefine the Arab world of today and shape the Arab world of tomorrow.”

According to the International Labour Organization, the youth unemployment rate in North Africa is 23.6 percent and in the Middle East it is 21.1 percent.

ManpowerGroup recently published the Insight paper: “Wanted: Energized, Career-Driven Youth” to detail how businesses can partner with educators and government authorities unleash the potential of today’s youth.

The paper, which draws on ManpowerGroup’s 60-years of experience of working with organizations committed to advancing the skills of youth, can be found here: http://www.manpowergroup.com/research/research.cfm

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