Overview
The Seasonal Talent Exchange—implemented with the support of JobsFirstNYC’s Employer Leadership Council—is an innovative employer-led labor exchange that seeks to strengthen seasonal and part-time job experiences for young workers and help them transition to year-round jobs across a network of employers. At the same time, it helps employers meet their talent needs by providing access to reliable, vetted employees.
The Challenge
Nationwide, the job market has steadily shifted toward part-time, low-wage, precarious work. Many growth industries, especially retail and food service, rely on seasonal and part-time employees in order to function. However, this employment does not provide workers with economic security and frequently does not offer career pathways.
61%
OF JOBS HELD BY YOUNG ADULTS ARE PART-TIME
118,000
YOUNG ADULTS ARE OUT OF SCHOOL AND OUT OF WORK IN NEW YORK CITY
40%
OF NYC’S OVERALL POPULATION REPORTS WORKING PART TIME
44%
DECREASE IN LIFETIME EARNINGS FOR YOUTH UNDER 25 WITH UNSTABLE EMPLOYMENT
Approach
Through the Seasonal Talent Exchange, young workers develop customer service and retail skills by working year-round in complementary seasonal roles at more than one business. Community-based organizations provide wraparound support to young workers and facilitate seamless transitions between seasons and across employers. This, in turn, helps partner businesses secure well-trained, more experienced workers over time.
Impact
JobsFirstNYC launched the Seasonal Talent Exchange, an innovative employer-led labor exchange that seeks to strengthen seasonal and part-time job experiences for young workers and help them transition to year-round jobs across a network of employers.
Our Partners
Related Publications
While the number of young adults who are out of school and out of work has been declining, more than 60 percent of young adults are part-time workers, a trend that has steadily increased since the Great Recession. The anticipated economic downturn from the COVID-19 pandemic will almost certainly accelerate the growth in part-time jobs. […]
The Seasonal Talent Exchange (STE) was created by four employers in 2015—Modell’s, UncommonGoods, Swiss Post Solutions, and Wildlife Conservation Society, members of the JobsFirstNYC Employer Leadership Council. These employers have a common interest in seasonal workers (and a sizeable seasonal workforce) in positions related to customer service. They value workers who have transitioned from seasonal […]
