How $4.4M in combined investments aim to help hundreds of CT young people get job experience
More than 1,200 participants throughout the north and central part of the state, including more than 800 in Hartford, will be able to gain valuable work experience this summer.
This is possible through the Summer Youth Employment and Learning Programs, which will provide paid job experiences, career readiness training and support services for youths ages 14 to 24, Capital Workforce Partners said this week.
Capital Workforce Partners leads the Summer Youth Employment and Learning Programs in collaboration the state of Connecticut, the city of Hartford, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, and a coalition of public and private sector partners, according to the partners.
The organization said it invested a total of $4.4 million into the initiative in north central CT, with $2.9 million of that targeting Hartford.
“Summer Youth Employment and Learning Programs are one of the most important investments
we make in our future,” Capital Workforce Partners president and CEO Alex Johnson said, in a statement. “Every summer, we see young people discover their potential, gain confidence, and explore the professional world. This program gives them the tools to succeed and strengthens our region’s long-term talent pipeline.”
The youths will be introduced and gain real-world experience in fields such retail, education and health care, according to the organization. The youths also will learn about resume building and professional development. For many this will be their first paid job and they “will receive stipends and wages for 120 hours of paid work experience, an important step toward their future careers.”
Summer Youth Employment and Learning Programs run from July 2 through Aug. 31.
Capital Workforce Partners said the program “helps bridge the gap between school and the workforce, especially for young people from low-income and diverse communities.”
Capital Workforce Partners has also partnered with Hartford Public Schools to “reconnect high-risk and academically disconnected students,” according to the organization.
This included “credit recovery programming to support students who are repeating 9th grade or are in their final year and lacking sufficient credits to graduate.”
A $400,000 grant from The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving helped expand Summer Youth Employment and Learning Programs in Hartford, according to the organizations. The grant also will help include the opportunity for paid internships and connect Hartford youth with supportive mental health resources.
“The Hartford Foundation is proud to continue its long-time support for the Summer Youth Employment and Learning Program efforts which create real-world opportunities to prepare them for the future,” Hartford Foundation president and CEO Jay Williams said, also in a statement. “This investment builds on the strengths and potential of young people, especially those in Hartford Public Schools’ credit recovery programs by offering hybrid work experiences, skill-building, and pathways to success.”
The donation breakdown for Hartford Summer Youth Employment and Learning Programs includes city of Hartford, $1.0 million; Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, $400,000; State of Connecticut the CT Youth Employment Program, through the state Department of Labor, $1.1 million to Hartford.
“For Hartford and north central Connecticut regional municipalities, an additional $1.7 million from the State of Connecticut will supplement funding to Hartford and support youths throughout the North Central CT Region Municipalities: CYEP, Departments of Aging and Disabilities, Children and Families, and Court Support Services,” according to the Capital Workforce Partners.
Hartford employment providers for the Summer Youth Employment and Learning Program include the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Hartford, Center for Latino Progress, Community Renewal Team, ReadyCT, Our Piece of the Pie and YWCA of Hartford.
“Investing in young people is vital to developing the next generation workforce. Youth employment is a way to get young workers into their communities, meeting new people, getting
new perspective, and learning the responsibility and benefits that come with leadership,”
said Eddie Cajigas, manager of Community Advocacy at the WIOA Administration Unit,
Connecticut Department of Labor, in the statement.
“The Summer Youth Employment and Learning Program is more than just a way to keep youth
busy during the summer; it’s an investment in the future of Hartford,” Hartford Mayor Arunan
Arulampalam added. “By providing our young people with hands-on experience and critical career readiness skills, we are building a talent pipeline right here in our city. This collaboration with the state, Capital Workforce Partners, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, and other
community leaders ensures that the next generation of our workforce has the opportunity to
thrive in our city and beyond.”