A group drawn from industry, local government and academia has launched a project to help youths not in employment, education or training -- known as "NEETs" -- find jobs.

The group hopes to address the needs of the nearly 20 percent of people who leave school each year who become NEETs, or job-hopping part-time workers.

The organizers have come from 42 four-year and two-year colleges as well as a number of local government and industry participants to set up the Next Career Center project.