Hundreds of Local Youth Prepare for Summer Job Experience
June 09, 2017
School’s out for students throughout the city, but nearly 350 kids are heading to work. As participants in the Mayor’s Summer Jobs Program, boys and girls, ages 16-21, will be provided an opportunity to explore career pathways in a variety of professional industries including education, business, medicine, government, sports and more. From shadowing nurses at Baptist Health, to serving as Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Explorers, youth will gain hands-on experience and information that will aid them in developing their career choices.
In its 12th year, the Mayor’s Summer Jobs Program will kick-off with an orientation Monday. The program, in partnership with CareerSource, JAX Chamber, Duval County Public Schools, Staff Time, United Way and Florida State College Jacksonville, offers youth work experience and mentorship. The program will run from June 12 through July 21, and consist of career assessment and readiness training, a Life-Skills Fair, 20-hour work weeks and a wide variety of paid employment opportunities with the City of Jacksonville and business partners from the private sector. Participants will gain an increased understanding and knowledge of the work environment, employer expectations, and personal responsibility through this six-week experience. The goal for this year’s program is to build the talent pipeline for our local economy by connecting young adults with education and employment career pathways that prepare them to meet the skill demands of employers, while leading them to workforce success.