“Every business needs some type of mentoring initiative,” said Kristy Teskey, senior vice president at Bank of America Charitable Foundation. “The costs of not doing it are too great.”
One report presented at the conference showed that the number of young people out of work and school offered the greatest indication of a state’s ability to provide economic opportunity.
“Employers in all sectors are a critical part of the solution,” said Elizabeth Clay Roy, deputy director of Opportunity Nation, a national coalition that aims to reduce economic disparities. She highlighted the importance of a business’ ability to provide jobs, internships, training and mentoring.