Examined is the history of federally funded vocational education and employability development programs created to address the specific labor market needs relating to underemployment and unemployment. This article serves as an introduction to four more articles concerning CETA and youth unemployment. (CT)

The At-Risk Youth Task Force of the State Employment and Training Commission concluded that a generation of young people faced underemployment or unemployment as a result of the increased skill demands required by the global economy. Two interrelated phenomena adversely affected the ability of a majority of young people to succeed in the labor…