LANSING, MI (AP)--
A new report says Michigan has 220,000 teens and young adults who are neither in school nor working and who face serious barriers to successful careers.
The report "Youth and Work: Restoring Teen and Young Adult Connections to Opportunity" says that in 2000, 13 percent of Michigan residents ages 16 to 24 were jobless and not enrolled in school. It says that rose to 17 percent by 2011.
The report that comes from the Annie E. Casey's Kids Count initiative says the lack of so-called starter jobs means darker horizons for Michigan young people who lack training and education.
It recommends the federal government develop a youth employment strategy, while localities better coordinate their efforts and learn from each other's successes.
