ATLANTA — Time is running out for young Atlantans to sign up for Mayor Andre Dicken's Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP).
It's for residents ages 14 to 24 and aims to provide jobs and internship opportunities for Atlanta's youth. According to the city's flyer, those 14 to 15 years old will need a work permit. They must show their social security card, valid proof of residency, and a state or school-issued photo ID. Apply here by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 29.
On Wednesday, Dickens hosted a signing day Wednesday with employers Coca-Cola, metro Atlanta YMCA, Atlanta Public Schools and Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, who've stepped up to the plate to offer employment this summer through the program.
"I think that summer youth opportunities for employment should really be a major day, one of the same impact as we have in going off to play sports. I believe that this program can serve as a launch pad for their careers just as going off to college for a big athlete can do the same," Dickens said at the event.
Dickens added last summer, Atlanta saw a significant decrease in youth-related crime, including youth homicides.
"We want to repeat that this year. And so we see this as a crime deterrent that everyone can participate in because if you're an employer, you're helping to bring down crime and you're helping to provide a future," Dickens said.
In 2023, a SYEP report was released, stating that the top industries that Atlanta youth were hired into were construction, education, food, and beverage, with most participants being Black girls.
Here are some other statistics from the 2023 program run:
- 5,418 youth registered for the program
- 5,135 were hired
- 157 employers registered for the program
- On average, the hourly wage was $17.27.
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