U.S. Labor Department to co-host youth employment seminar
with Brazil, Organization of American States, labor ministers

Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs Charlotte Ponticelli to lead U.S. delegation

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — The U.S. Department of Labor, the Ministry of Labor and Employment in Brazil, and the Organization of American States (OAS) jointly will host a seminar on youth employment in Rio de Janeiro from Tuesday, May 20, through Wednesday, May 21. Charlotte M. Ponticelli, the Labor Department's deputy undersecretary for International Affairs, will lead the U.S. delegation.

The seminar will bring together for the first time officials from the Ministries of Labor of the 34 OAS member states, social partners and representatives from international organizations, civil society organizations, professionals, researchers and practitioners responsible in the western hemisphere for youth employment issues.

"This is a great opportunity to work together with our partners in the hemisphere to address a challenge that is a priority for all of us — youth employment," said Ponticelli. "Together, we can work to find better ways to connect young people to jobs and give them the skills they need to succeed."

The seminar is being held under the auspices of the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor (IACML) and responds to a September 2007 IACML Declaration of Port of Spain, where labor ministers from the 34 democratically elected governments in the hemisphere reaffirmed a Summit of the Americas commitment to reduce youth unemployment and to lower the numbers of young people who are not employed or in school.

Ponticelli will deliver opening remarks to provide a policy framework for the program, underscoring the importance of a well-trained, adaptable workforce, with an emphasis on public-private partnerships and market-driven training. Other topics for discussion include developing and encouraging comprehensive services, training for youth entrepreneurship, and targeting services to disconnected youth.

For more information about the Bureau of International Labor Affairs, visit www.dol.gov/ilab.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.