The percentage of young men in the workforce has been steadily declining for decades, but the decline accelerated during the COVID pandemic. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the percentage of males from 16 to 24 years old not in college but who are working has fallen to 56.1%, as compared to 69% in 2000. Over the same period, the percentage of women from 16 to 24 years old not in college who are working has grown to about 76%. In the 1990s, men held about 7 million more U.S. jobs than women, but now more women than men are working in the nation. These numbers reflect the decline in the number of young men in the workforce as well as an increase in the number of working women.
Even more alarming, about 25% of young men report having no close friends or even daily personal interactions outside their households. About 60% of young men prefer to stay home and play video games rather than go out in the evening. Socializing builds skills needed in the workplace such as careful listening, relating emotionally, resolving disagreements and working well with others. So staying at home actually reduces the ability of young men to find and keep a good job.
If this sounds like a young person whom you know, encourage them to socialize. Invite them to church or to a restaurant for lunch and suggest that they engage in other social activities such as amateur sports. Parks and Recreation offers adult sports leagues such as softball and basketball. While a higher percentage of young men are staying home, include young women, too. After all, young men are more likely to attend a social event that includes women.
And encourage young people to learn new skills. One reason that more women are working is that female-dominated fields such as teaching and healthcare account for most of the new jobs that have been created lately. One reason for the increase in demand for healthcare workers is that the baby boomer generation is now retired. Women seem to be drawn to healthcare and education, but there is no reason that males cannot pursue a career in nursing or teaching.
College of the Albemarle offers training for several healthcare careers, some of which do not require a degree. For example, the certified nursing assistant program lasts one semester. And there is a long list of other allied health programs that only require a 2-year degree. Their RN nursing program is among the best in the state, and it has recently expanded.
Teaching is another field which needs many more people. Elizabeth City State University has excellent teacher education programs in a variety of fields. And they accept transfer credits from COA, which offers a teacher preparation program as well as general education courses needed to complete a bachelor’s degree. The university offers degrees in other in-demand fields such as business, finance, economics and physical therapy-related programs such as kinesiology or health and wellness.
College gets young people out of the house and into social settings if they don’t try to take all their courses online. Course group projects better equip young people to enter the workforce and pursue a long-term career.
Encourage them to get out of the house and apply for jobs in person. Many entry-level jobs are not listed online, so job seekers have to go inside businesses and ask if there are any openings. Even minimum-wage jobs on a cash register provide valuable experience for better jobs later on. And maybe they will socialize more if they have a paycheck.
Michael R. Worthington is an unaffiliated voter who grew up in Scuffleton and lives in Pasquotank County.