CAREER-READY: Taking aim at the “B.A.rista” situation, JPMorgan Chase plans to spend $75 million to fight youth unemployment over the next five years. Its “New Skills for Youth" initiative, announced Tuesday, aims to increase the number of young people who start career pathways in high school and receive postsecondary degrees or credentials that lead to high-skill, high-wage jobs.
This spring the Council of Chief State School Officers, with funding from JPMorgan Chase, will award $100,000 grants to 20 to 25 states for planning and early implementation of long-term career readiness education. In the fall 10 to 15 states will each receive $1.5 to $2 million over three years to implement and assess their programs. “Successful states will bring together education leaders and business and community partners to set ambitious goals for expanding access to and ensuring preparation for careers in high-skill, high-wage jobs," JPMorgan Chase said in a press release.