City of Los Angeles Youth Workforce System Evaluation

The City of Los Angeles Workforce Development Board is pleased to announce the release of the City of Los Angeles Youth Workforce System Evaluation Report. Commissioned by the City's Community Investment Department and conducted by Social Policy Research Associates, the evaluation examines key components of the City's youth workforce development system, including YouthSource Centers and the Hire LA's Youth program. The report assesses the system's strengths, challenges, and opportunities to improve services that connect young people to education, training, employment, and long-term career opportunities.

Drawing on interviews with youth and workforce system stakeholders, participant surveys, program administrative data, and previous research and planning efforts, the evaluation highlights the system's strong community partnerships, supportive staff relationships, and positive youth experiences with work-readiness services. It also identifies opportunities to strengthen supportive services, reduce barriers to participation, improve connections between work experiences and long-term career pathways, and enhance coordination and performance measurement across programs.

As the City prepares for its next youth workforce provider procurement cycle in 2027, the report offers recommendations in five key areas: improving youth engagement and removing barriers to participation; strengthening connections to priority employment sectors and career pathways; implementing tiered services within Hire LA's Youth; increasing collaboration among workforce providers and employers; and identifying additional funding and resources to strengthen service delivery. These recommendations will help inform future decisions to build a more coordinated, accessible, and effective youth workforce system.