Applications Are Now Open for City’s Summer Youth Jobs

By Julia Bottles : Planning ahead for the summer could pay off. Applications are now open for young New Yorkers looking for jobs this summer, according to the city’s Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD). The Summer Youth Employment Program, which places 14 to 24 year olds in six-week entry-level positions around the city, will accept applications starting Monday until the Friday, March 17 deadline. The application period is earlier than previous years to give potential participants a chance to plan ahead for the summer, according to the DYCD. Participants will then be selected by lottery to work in jobs at hospitals, summer camps, law firms, museums and other work sites from July 5 to Aug. 19. The program pays $11 an hour, and participants may work between 20 and 25 hours a week. “Through SYEP, younger youths learn the importance of showing up on time and working with other people,” said DYCD Commissioner Bill Chong in a statement. “For older teens and young adults, it’s about lining up the work experience and careers in which they are interested.” There is also an employer-paid internship program called Ladders for Leaders designed for those between the ages of 16 and 22 which involves additional training. Those interested in this program must fill out an additional Ladders for Leaders application. As part of the program, job holders who elect to have their wages direct-deposited to their bank accounts — or who open a savings account — are also eligible for 2,000 additional rewards ranging from $25 to $500 dollars. The push is part of a national effort to increase youth financial literacy. Last year the Summer Youth Employment Program placed 60,113 participants at 10,000 work sites, according to the DYCD. dnainfo.com/new-york.