The democrat candidate, Bernie Sanders, is making youth unemployment in the United States one of the key pillars on his way to the Oval Office. While it is also true that Hilary Clinton is mentioning the situation of young people, the senator from Vermont is trying to emerge as the only candidate in this electoral niche that includes young people.

We have dealt with this issue previously on our website; however, on this occasion we shall analyse his proposals in more detail.

– Access to Education

For Sanders’ team, speaking about the lack of employment opportunities for young people also implies speaking about education. “It is no great secret that without work, without education, and without hope, people get into trouble. That’s just a fact“, said the veteran senator in one of his speeches. Consequently, his programme contains some interesting proposals ranging from primary education to universities.

Above all, he emphasizes that despite the rise in university tuition fees, it is worth the effort. He also mentions that, due to inflation, a young person will have to work for a whole year full time to pay for his studies at a public university. Sanders wants free access to university and he wants the states to assume 33% of the fees and the federal government the rest.

–Employment and Training Opportunities

This is a field in which the democratic candidate comes across with a tougher stance. Sanders said that “it makes a lot more sense to invest in jobs, in job training, and in education than spending incredible amounts of money on jails and law enforcement”.

Bernie Sanders has proposed a plan to address youth employment by providing $5.5 billion for job training for America’s young men and women. In addition, one of the strongest points in his discourse is the racial wage gap.

–Overhauling the Criminal Justice System

According to Sanders, one of the biggest obstacles for youth employment is mass incarceration and the systemic racism that it breeds. The Veteran Senator from Vermont wants to dismantle the prison-industrial complex and limit federal tax breaks to private prisons. Sanders believes that those who are incarcerated should be empowered through education and job training to prepare them to be successful on release and, thus, reduce recidivism rates.

–Immigration Reform

That the United States is a country created to a great extent by immigrants is a well-known fact. The democratic candidate, Bernie Sanders, also holds this view and, therefore, he stresses the need for immigration reform that will allow all young people the chance to pursue higher education. Thus, according to Sanders, the United States could benefit from an immigration system that incites greater innovation, diversity, and economic opportunities for both American-born citizens and immigrants.