Mentoring—matching youth or “mentees” with responsible, caring “mentors,” usually adults—has been found to be an important support for youth as they transition to adulthood and the workforce (Timmons, Mack, Sims, Hare, & Wills, 2006). Mentoring provides opportunities for youth to develop emotional bonds with mentors who have more life experience and can provide support, guidance, and opportunities to help them succeed in life and meet their goals (DuBois and Karcher, 2005).

Mentoring relationships can be formal or informal, with substantial variation, but the essential components include creating caring, empathetic, consistent, and long-lasting relationships, often with some combination of role modeling, teaching, and advising. One form of mentoring, called instrumental or topic-focused mentoring, focuses on a specific problem and aims at helping mentees reach specific goals, such as improving academic performance or preparing for employment opportunities.

Career-focused mentoring can take on a variety of forms and may focus on different pieces of career development and employment. Some examples include assisting with the following:

• Writing resumes and cover letters
• Conducting mock interviews and providing support for answering interview questions
• Exploring possible careers and assisting with job, internship, or program searches
• On-the-job skill development (soft skills or technical skills)
• Modeling behavior, attitudes, or skills in the workplace
• Career planning and goal setting (Timmons et al., 2006)

Apprenticeships and internships can provide on-the-job opportunities to integrate mentoring into employment experiences for youth. You can find out more about both apprenticeships and internships for youth below. Learn more about mentoring and the benefits for youth and their mentors.

Self-assessments help to teach youth about themselves so they can find a career that is a good fit for their interests and skills. They allow youth to explore

• what they do and don’t like;
• how they react to certain situations;
• their skills; and
• their values (CareerOneStop Centers, n.d.).

There are many career assessments available. CareerOneStop Centers, which are supported by the U.S. Department of Labor, provide a range of resources, information, tools, and support for jobseekers under one roof. Information is provided both virtually and at sites across the country. These centers are able to conduct or access a variety of tests including basic education skills, the General Aptitude Test Battery, and other common assessments used in career and employment counseling. These assessments can also be conducted and supported through college career service offices or trade and vocational schools. The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability provides a range of assessments that can help with the transition from school to employment. In addition to their focus on career planning, these resources recognize unique challenges faced by students with disabilities. An additional online resource, Students and Career Advisors, allows students, career advisors, and parents to learn more about potential career opportunities. This resource provides opportunities for students to explore their interests, learn about potential careers, learn how to get job experience, and find additional educational opportunities to support career development. Working with a professional, such as a counselor at a high school, trade or vocational school, college, or CareerOneStop Center can be helpful in selecting an appropriate assessment and interpreting the results.

Finding available jobs can be a challenge. It is important for youth to recognize that finding a job often takes time and it is important to develop a plan, schedule, and goals when conducting a search. There are many sources that list available jobs, from newspapers to listservs to online directories. CareerOneStop Centers have computerized job listings that provide information and knowledgeable staff are available to assist with counseling youth on various employment options. State vocational rehabilitation agencies are typically represented or can be accessed at CareerOneStop Centers to provide assistance for youth with disabilities in the job search process. College career centers can also provide valuable resources for students in searching for jobs and internships. Both college career centers and CareerOneStop Centers can also help youth to prepare their resumes, write cover letters, and practice interviewing. A number of resources can be helpful in finding available jobs and understanding how prior employment experiences lead to future opportunities. One example of this is My Skills My Future. This tool allows youth to search for career opportunities based on past employment experiences. 

Soft skills are generally defined as personal qualities, not technical in nature, that translate to good job performance. They have been named by employers to be most important for successful job performance. Soft skills can be learned through a variety of means including classroom instruction, volunteering, and service-learning. Learn more about soft skills and how they can be developed.

Over 50 percent of manufacturers who completed the 2005 skills gap survey reported that technical skills were the skills that employees would need most in the workforce in the upcoming years (Deloitte, 2005). Vocational training courses or work-study programs can teach marketable technical or occupational skills. CareerOneStop Centers can provide training or make referrals to local post-secondary institutions and youth-serving agencies when training and other services are needed. Not only are the people there knowledgeable about these resources, but they also can approve vouchers to defray training costs. The Center for Employment Training (CET) is a non-profit organization that has partnerships with the Department of Labor. CET has pioneered the practice of open-ended, competency-based training that uses the workplace as the context for simulations. The individualized training allows youth to train at their pace and explore career options first-hand. The majority of training is provided through hands-on experience. The Office of Vocational and Adult Education within the U.S. Department of Education also provides support to states, schools, and community colleges to support technical and vocational education.

Apprenticeship programs grew out of the school-to-work movement and provide youth classroom instruction combined with structured on-the-job training with a mentor. The training is split between academic courses and vocational training while the on-the-job portion provides opportunities for practice in and understanding of work-based context for classroom instruction (Crosby, 2002). Youth apprenticeships can easily lead to admission to adult apprenticeship programs after graduation. The U. S. Department of Labor sponsors registered apprentice programs that meet its standards. The minimum requirement for participation in an apprenticeship program may vary by the skills demanded for the program, but to be eligible youth must be at least 16. Due to restrictions, some hazardous jobs are limited to individuals over 18. Participation in apprenticeships allows youth to receive the following:

• A paycheck: From day one, youth earn a paycheck guaranteed to increase over time as new skills are acquired.
• Hands-on career training: Apprentices receive practical on-the-job training in a wide selection of programs, such as health care, construction, information technology, and geospatial careers.
• An education: Apprentices receive hands-on training and have the potential to earn college credit, even an associate or bachelor's degree, in many cases paid for by the employer.
• A career: Once the apprenticeship is completed, youth are on their way successful long-term careers with competitive salaries and little or no educational debt.
• National industry certification: When an apprentice graduates from a career training program, he or she will be certified and can take that certification anywhere in the U.S.
• The opportunity to work with recognizable partners: Many of the nation's most recognizable companies, such as CVS/pharmacy and UPS, have Registered Apprenticeship programs.

Many states have State Apprentice Agencies with additional apprentice programs. For an example of a state program, visit Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development: Youth Apprenticeship Program Information.

The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) provides a toolkit and other resources to increase the capacity of programs to provide integrated inclusive apprenticeship training to youth and young adults with a full range of disabilities, including those with the most significant disabilities. ODEP also provides guidance on how to utilize the increased flexibilities in the Department of Labor apprenticeship regulations.

Internships, both paid and unpaid, provide youth with short-term, practical experiences to learn about careers, develop networks, and experience the workplace. Internships are available in a diverse array of career fields and can be formal or informal.  Internships provide youth with opportunities to explore what they like and do not like about certain careers. They allow youth that might not know what career they want to pursue with a chance to see if a certain environment, job, management style fits their needs. Both on-the-job experience as well as the application process allow youth to develop skills so that they are able to enter the job market with relevant career experience. According to a 2005 survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 60 percent of employers hire college graduates who had completed internships. Further, on average over half of the students who completed internships were offered full-time positions upon internship completion (Jones, 2006).