ver, there have been challenges with the job-market for youth in the United States. For those who pursue some post-secondary education, their earning potential is in - creased and tends to be much higher than those who do not, but all too often employers feel as if these inexpe - rienced individuals have to prove their worth. As such, many youths increasingly attain jobs for which they may be overqualified and underpaid. Some of the most popular vocational pathways include healthcare particularly nursing and other ancillary health services, heavy industry in manufacturing, and increa - singly in transportation and logistics. The popular fields are typically heavily influenced by the pay on offer and is also impacted by the ease for students to connect to on - ramps into the career fields. For those students who do not pursue a vocational or higher education path, some of the more popular jobs include going into retail servi - ces as a cashier or stocker, working in the food industry as a waitress or in fast food, or assorted fields such as a gas station attendant or delivery driver. Unfortunate - ly, there does not tend to be many support for students entering these areas, which commonly results in these low-income jobs becoming careers for many adults in the United States – fueling much of the inequitable rea - lities so many face.
GED The alternative for approximately 15 % of the students who do not graduate, achieving a General Equivalency Degree (GED) is also possible, but society does not look as favorably on individuals with this type of finishing de - gree. Acquiring a GED is different for each state – some have unique requirements regarding which subtests (areas of study) a person has to pass along with the re - quisite passing score. Also, the length of time required to learn for the test can range from three months to a year, but not all states require a course of study. Ultimately, it all leads to a student taking the GED exam, which can be retaken as many times as an individual desires. Increa - singly, many states are also attaching Career Readiness assessments to the GED process – which helps these stu - dents transition into jobs and careers. Apprenticeship Youth apprenticeships are work-based learning pro - grams designed for high school students, but all youth can participate. While some consider the certificates offered by apprenticeship programs as a type of new 4-year degree, the United States does not have an of - ficial certificate that serves as an alternative to college, though there is a lot of energy around trying to change that reality. Apprenticeships generally incorporate the key elements of the standard apprenticeship model, in - cluding paid workplace experience and related technical instruction. These apprenticeship programs are typically for youth between the ages of sixteen to twenty-four and combine academic and technical classroom instruction with work experience through the program. It provides
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