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So far in 2023, the U.S. has seen a record number of mass shootings.
According to Pew Research Center, gun deaths among U.S. children and teens are rising. The number of children and teens killed by gunfire increased by an alarming 50% between 2019 and 2021, the most recently available data.
A recent Pew survey finds that 60% of U.S. adults agree gun violence is a “very big” problem. However, Americans are divided on root causes of this violence, which makes identifying and implementing solutions enormously challenging.
For example, U.S. civilians possess more than 393 million firearms—about 120.5 firearms per 100 people—the highest rate in the world.
Half of Americans believe gun ownership increases safety by allowing law-abiding citizens to protect themselves, while the other half believes gun ownership reduces safety by giving too many people access to firearms and increasing misuse. Additionally, while 58% of Americans say gun laws should be stricter, there are large divides by political party and between rural and urban communities on how to toughen these laws.
Broadly supported approaches to stemming gun violence include community-based outreach programs that provide dispute mediation and other supports. Other approaches—like increased police presence—can be more controversial.
Perhaps everyone can agree that increasing youth employment is one approach we can take to make a dent on gun violence. Research suggests quality youth employment experiences lead to significant reductions in violent crime, possibly by helping teens develop soft skills like conflict resolution.
I’m a devoted fan of the Swiss dual education and training (aka “apprenticeship”) system. In this system, employers and educators play an equal role when it comes to preparing the future workforce. Approximately 30% of Swiss 16-year-olds select a path leading toward a four-year college degree, and the other 70% participate in three- or four-year apprenticeships balancing school, year-round paid employment and employer-led training. Notably, Switzerland ranks No. 1 worldwide for safety and has a youth unemployment rate of just 1.7%.
A common misconception is apprenticeships are limited to the trades. In Switzerland, apprenticeships span industry sectors, including the trades, advanced manufacturing, life sciences and financial services. While in Switzerland, I interacted with apprentices working at companies like Credit Suisse and Swisscom. I even toured a post office run entirely by apprentices.
Modeled after the Swiss system, Marion County has a nascent youth apprenticeship program co-led by Ascend Indiana and EmployIndy called Modern Apprenticeship, or MAP. This year, about 350 Indianapolis high school students applied for 70 year-round apprenticeship slots with employers like KSM and OneAmerica. Other Marion County programs include Project Indy, offering either summer or year-round employment to in-school and out-of-school youth.
What if we scaled these employment initiatives to serve many thousands of Indianapolis youth annually? Imagine the transformative impact on the lives of those individuals and our city overall. Who knows? Higher rates of youth employment might even lead to lower rates of gun violence.
I hope we can all agree investing in young people benefits everyone. Let’s commit to scaling quality youth employment initiatives and preparing thousands of Indianapolis youth for brighter futures. Visit indymodernapprenticeship.com or projectindy.net to get engaged.•
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Fiddian-Green is president and CEO of the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation, whose mission is to advance the vitality of Indianapolis and the well-being of its people. Send comments to ibjedit@ibj.com.
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