Rethinking “Consequences” in Workforce Development with Young Adults By Alia Sutton-Bey

What if accountability didn’t have to mean punishment?

In my work with young adults—especially those navigating systems that have failed or forgotten them—conversations around consequences come up often.

Whether in schools, job training programs, or workforce pipelines, I’ve noticed a recurring pattern:

When a young person falls short of expectations, the response is often centered around “what punishment fits the behavior?” rather than “what support helps them grow?”

It’s a subtle shift in language.

But it carries enormous weight.

Why This Matters

I work primarily with 17–24-year-olds who are full of potential, brilliance, and resilience. Many of them have experienced disrupted education, trauma, instability, or systems involvement. Yet they continue to show up—with hope, with hustle, and with a desire to become.

And still, when they make mistakes—as all learners do—the question becomes:

“What’s the consequence?”

Too often, consequence becomes code for detention, removal, or suspension from opportunity.
Rarely do we stop to ask:

What are we trying to teach?
What skill is missing?
What might this behavior be communicating?

Let’s Be Honest

When white children make mistakes, we often talk about:

• Building resilience
• Creating teachable moments
• Offering second chances

When Black and brown young people make mistakes, we tend to talk about:

• Rules
• Respect
• Consequences

That’s not discipline. That’s disparity.

What I’ve Learned

True development—academic, personal, or professional—requires space to fail forward. It requires:

• clear boundaries,
• high expectations,
• and compassionate accountability.

It requires doing things with young people, not to them.

And it starts with shifting our understanding of what “consequences” are for.

Reframing the Word

What if we saw consequences as:

• Opportunities to repair and re-engage
• Moments for emotional skill-building
• Chances to model real-world accountability with dignity

A young adult who cuts a class or misses a shift isn’t just being “non-compliant”—they may be struggling with time management, anxiety, or internalized beliefs that success isn’t for them.

If we respond with curiosity rather than control, we teach them how to be consistent.
If we offer reflection instead of rejection, we build their capacity, not just their compliance.

The Bottom Line

We cannot punish young people into professionalism.
We cannot consequence them into character.
We must guide them, coach them, and grow with them.

That is the kind of workforce development I believe in.
That is what changes lives.

Let’s Keep the Conversation Going:

How do you handle accountability in your work with young people?
What models or practices have helped you reframe discipline as development?

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