Workforce development experts to discuss global youth employment crisis at DC policy forum

WASHINGTON— Leading workforce development experts will discuss the global youth employment crisis at a policy forum at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Oct. 15.

"Unemployment among young people around the world has grown into an epidemic that threatens the economic growth and social stability of dozens of countries for decades to come," said Andrew Baird, senior economic growth specialist at RTI.  

At this policy forum, a panel of experts will use their research and knowledge in workforce development and education to shed light on the crisis, and recommend practical steps for addressing youth employment based upon a research agenda, field testing, and tools for scaling evidence-based practices.

The policy forum, titled, "Building a Better Working World: Solving the Global Youth Employment Crisis," will be held from 9 to 11:00 a.m. at the National Press Club Ballroom. 

RTI and its partners will also announce the establishment of the Global Center on Youth Employment to leverage and promote empirical research and leading edge, evidence-based and evidence-producing practices aimed at significantly impacting the worldwide employment of youth. 

The panel includes: 

• Andrew Baird, senior economic growth specialist, RTI International
• Cristina McGlew Castro, CSR regional manager, Latin America and the Caribbean, Cisco System 
• Brad Stam, vice president and chief operating officer, ConnectEd: The California Center on College and Career
• Banafsha Tasmin, graduate student at SIT Graduate Institute, intern at RTI International 

The program will be moderated by Calvin Sims, president and CEO of International House. Wayne Holden, Ph.D., president and CEO of RTI will give a welcome, followed by Aaron Williams, executive vice president of the International Development Group at RTI who will give the opening remarks and announce the center.

More information about the event can be found here.