Youth Force NOLA steps into a critical space as schools across Louisiana shift toward stronger workforce development. Co-founder and president Kate Swinburne says the organization launched in 2015 to solve two big problems. Students felt unprepared for life after high school. Businesses struggled to find skilled talent. Youth Force NOLA now works as the matchmaker between motivated young people and the employers who need them.
Swinburne explains that this approach requires doing high school differently. Schools must help every student explore career options early. Educators must teach soft skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. She stresses that all students benefit from this model — those headed to college and those aiming for technical careers. Students learn how they like to work, what sparks their interest, and which paths fit their strengths.
Youth Force NOLA supports schools by helping them prioritize career exploration. High schools guide students through early career awareness and soft-skill development. Centralized career centers then provide advanced training, industry-based classes, and work-based learning during junior and senior years. This regional structure allows students access to more programs without requiring each school to offer every pathway.
Charter schools, Swinburne says, move quickly in this space. They can adopt career-connected learning without long delays. Examples include Kenner Discovery’s partnership with Ochsner for health sciences and New Orleans Military Maritime Academy’s specialized programs in Federal City. Students can explore engineering, health care, maritime work, computer science, and more.
Swinburne insists you can’t start too early on soft skills. These skills help students succeed academically and socially, not just at work. She warns against tracking kids too young but believes it is better for them to explore options and change plans than to have no plan at all.
Her favorite story features siblings Alice and Dylan. Alice interned at Ochsner, earned credentials, worked through college, and now attends nursing school with ongoing support from her network. Dylan followed with a path of his own. Their journeys show the power of early exposure and real experience.
Learn more at youthforcenola.org.