NYC Summer Job Program Opens to Teens and Young Adults

New York City’s six-week Summer Youth Employment Program, the largest such program in the country, will return this summer, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Tuesday.

In 2020, 35,000 young New Yorkers participated in virtual SYEP programs. This summer, the program returns both in-person and virtually.

“When I say recovery for all of us, I mean all of us, especially young New Yorkers,” said de Blasio. “The Summer Youth Employment Program is back and providing teens and young adults with a paycheck and the skills they need to build a stronger future for themselves and our City.”

There are up to 75,000 minimum wage paid positions open to teenagers and young adults ages 14-24. Teenagers aged 14 and 15 will receive a stipend for projects while doing community work and learning about career opportunities. Young people 16-21 will learn work readiness skills and explore career pathways through paid summer jobs. Young people 22-24 who live in in NYCHA housing or struggle with employment barriers are eligible for special programming.

Participants can work in a wide variety of places, including government agencies, hospitals, summer camps, nonprofits, small businesses, law firms, museums, and retail. SYEP also offers workshops on job readiness, career exploration and financial literacy, and opportunities to continue education and social growth.

The digital learning platform Skillshare donated free subscriptions worth $6.8 million to its sites for more than 10,000 participants.

“New York City is home to so many aspiring entrepreneurs and creators who will no doubt make their mark on their world,” said Skillshare CEO Matt Cooper in a statement. “We are honored to invest in their dreams by donating these scholarships and excited for them to join the Skillshare community.”

SYEP offers positions in the NYPD, and participants would be able to work in one of 150 precincts, taking positions such as Office Assistant, Architectural Engineer, Community Associate, Mail Clerk, Property Clerk, and Camp Assistant and attend workshops in Financial Management, Community Building, Web Design, Podcast Production, and other technological and practical skills.

“As police, we often encounter young people who have had limited options. Part of our calling is to help kids make better choices, expand opportunities, and help them reach their fullest potential,” said Police Commissioner Dermot Shea. “New York City kids are the future, and this program brings young people to every precinct, PSA, transit district and specialty unit where they will help improve our City.”

___

smarcus@hamodia.com