New white paper proposes maximizing AmeriCorps to address growing career gaps among young Americans in the Age of AI. EDSAFE AI Alliance Mar 30, 2026, 09:03 ET The U.S. labor market is at a critical turning point. As generative AI and automation rapidly reshape the economy, the traditional "entry-level" job - the essential first step for young professionals - is being systematically digitized and displaced. A new white paper, released by a coalition including the EDSAFE AI Alliance, City Year, Partnership for Student Success, and Voices for National Service, argues that the solution isn't to out-code the algorithms, but to invest in the uniquely human skills that AI cannot replicate. BROOKLYN, N.Y., March 30, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ - Today, the EDSAFE AI Alliance, City Year, the Partnership for Student Success, and Voices for National Serviced announced the publication of a new white paper: "Powering Workforce Resilience in the Age of AI: The Case for AmeriCorps." The report highlights that the labor market in the United States is at a precarious inflection point. As generative AI is increasingly used to take on duties traditionally done by people in entry level roles, the "first rung" of the traditional career ladder is disappearing. This leaves young people not only with fewer job prospects, but also without opportunities to build early-career skills and competencies that are necessary for success in higher-level and more AI-resilient positions. The authors argue that the answer to this displacement is not to attempt to "out-code" the algorithms. Rather, the white paper calls for a modernization and maximization of AmeriCorps-the nation's existing, bipartisan, national service infrastructure-to serve as a primary workforce development vehicle for human-centric skills that AI cannot replicate, such as dialogue, relationship management, and cross-functional teamwork. Beyond providing jobs that foster durable, human-centric skills for novice professionals, service through AmeriCorps has the added benefit of supporting communities in all 50 states with crucial needs in disaster relief, education, food security, community building, and more. "In a rapidly evolving world, the most critical infrastructure we can invest in is human potential. True workforce resilience requires us to meet people where they are, providing the pathways and community support necessary to turn challenges into opportunities. This paper serves as a roadmap for how we can foster a more adaptable, inclusive, and courageous American workforce." shared Erin Mote, CEO of InnovateEDU who leads the EDSAFE AI Alliance. To position AmeriCorps as a primary workforce development and reskilling strategy for meeting entry-level economic displacement and preparing Americans for the evolving workforce, the white paper outlines a policy roadmap, which includes: * Modernizing the Segal Education Award including expanding allowable uses to any Title IV institution-including community colleges and job training programs-or for student loan repayment, and excluding the award from federal and state income tax to maximize educational benefits and reduce financial burdens on participants. * Aligning AmeriCorps with WIOA including formally defining AmeriCorps service as "work-based learning" or "pre-apprenticeship" to allow participants to quality for WIOA-funded training services. * Removing barriers to professional development including changes to the cap on the number of training hours allowed for AmeriCorps members and changes to limits on public-private workforce partnerships to engage a broader set of employers. * Establishing an AmeriCorps Apprenticeship Corps to enable high-quality earn-and-learn opportunities and better integration with registered apprenticeships, expanding pathways to employment in high-demand sectors. * Establishing an AmeriCorps credential for the skills developed during service, such as metacognition, cross-cultural dialogue, and crisis management, which participants develop and which help prepare them for AI-resilient jobs following their service. * Supporting transitions from service to employment including strengthening workforce development as a core and measured outcome for AmeriCorps programs and investing in related data systems and infrastructure to track these outcomes. Media Contact: Jessica Duff, APR Marketing & Communication Manager, InnovateEDU Media Contact SOURCE EDSAFE AI Alliance

BOSTON, March 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- American Student Assistance® (ASA), a national nonprofit changing the way kids learn about careers and prepare for their futures, today announced that the organization has awarded $17.7 million to 30 mission-aligned, youth-serving nonprofits serving at least 14 states. The grants will significantly scale access to opportunities to improve career readiness outcomes for middle and high schoolers, specifically in the areas of work-based learning, social capital, education and career pathways, and career exploration."At ASA, over the past five years, our philanthropic grantmaking efforts in the youth career readiness arena have been critical in gaining valuable insight on what works best for young people, fueling innovation, expanding opportunity, elevating voices, and informing needed policy change. We congratulate our newest cohort of grantees for the hard-earned outcomes they've achieved, and we look forward to continuing our work with mission-aligned organizations looking to move the career-connected learning field forward to drive policy and systems change," said Julie Lammers, Executive Vice President, American Student Assistance (ASA).Industries covered by new grantees include advanced manufacturing, fisheries, healthcare, and social impact. Existing grantees represent additional industries like animation design, arts, construction, education, entrepreneurship, gaming, green jobs, and STEM. Grantees include the following:CAPS Network has been awarded a two-year $1.43 million grant over three years. This funding will support the development and expansion of the CAPS Middle School initiative in an effort to create profession-based learning experiences for younger learners.Collaborative for Academic and Social Emotional Learning (CASEL) has been awarded $1 million over three years