Mayor Greenberg kicks off 14th season of SummerWorks, Announces Increased Pay

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 8, 2024) - Today, Mayor Craig Greenberg joined leaders from the J.B. Speed School of Engineering at the University of Louisville’s STEM+ Hub to call on Louisville youth and employers to sign up for the 2024 season of SummerWorks; a program that connects youth to summer jobs, career opportunities and more. The Mayor also announced the program is raising the hourly pay from $12 an hour to $15 an hour, and there are more job opportunities than the previous year.

“This program has proven its positive impact, with participants more likely to graduate from high school, attend college or find employment.”

— Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg

“SummerWorks is an inclusive program that gives every youth who applies a chance at a great experience with lifelong career benefits,” said Mayor Greenberg. “This program has proven its positive impact, with participants more likely to graduate from high school, attend college or find employment. As we move Louisville into a new direction to create a safer, stronger and healthier city, it’s essential we invest in our future leaders and SummerWorks does that.”

Louisville youth who are between the ages of 16 to 21, as of June 1, are eligible to enroll in SummerWorks and can register online at SummerWorks.org. From there, applicants can create or upload a resume, get soft skills training and apply to job opportunities they are interested in.

Mayor Greenberg highlighted the growth in unique work-and-learn opportunities, in which SummerWorks youth can earn a paycheck while they get a hands-on introduction to careers in tech and entrepreneurship, the sciences, skilled trades, education, and more. The J.B. Speed School of Engineering, as one example, is increasing its SummerWorks hiring from five youth last season to twenty this year.

“Speed School's partnership with the SummerWorks program has been instrumental in providing invaluable exposure to engineering fields and quality work opportunities,” said Emmanuel Collins, dean of the Speed School. “Through this collaboration, students have gained firsthand experience, paving the way for future success in their academic and professional pursuits as engineers.”

SummerWorks has directly placed more than 8,000 youth in summer jobs since it began in 2011. Last season, 237 youth worked in sponsored positions at fifty nonprofit and public sector work sites (private sector employers pay youth they hire through SummerWorks directly). 54% of sponsored SummerWorks youth came from target zip codes in west, south, and central Louisville.

The program’s core operating funds are approved by the Louisville Metro Council. Private donors in 2024 include the Jewish Heritage Fund, the JPMorgan Chase Foundation, the Ginkgo Fund, and David Jones Jr. and Mary Gwen Wheeler. SummerWorks is operated by YouthBuild Louisville in partnership with KentuckianaWorks, the Louisville Region’s Workforce Development Board.