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When it comes to the world of work, young people often want what adults want: a career with a promising future. But the path to getting there can be daunting for teenagers and young adults. That’s where the Mayor’s summer jobs program can help. This annual program creates meaningful employment opportunities for Oakland youth and recruits and trains the next generation of skilled future employees
“The more that we expose teens and young adults to the world of work, the more we set them up for successful futures.”
The summer jobs program is coordinated by the City of Oakland’s Workforce Development Board, which funds and supports several local community-based organizations that provide training, mentoring, educational enrichment, and related services to Oaklanders ages 16 to 24. Summer jobs are designed to help youth prepare for the world of work by gaining valuable skills, experience and confidence that furthers their pursuit of career, academic and personal goals.
In 2018, the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation supported the Mayor’s summer jobs program and helped secure funding to place more than 330 youth into part-time, paid positions. This program was aligned and coordinated in conjunction with the Earn and Learn East Bay initiative, which collectively placed nearly 2,000 Oakland youth into summer employment opportunities. “The summer jobs program boosts Oakland’s economy and supports young people while they gain valuable work and life experience,” says Stephen Baiter, executive director of the Oakland Workforce Development Board. “The more that we expose teens and young adults to the world of work, the more we set them up for successful futures.”
