Louisville youth 16-21 can now register online for help getting a summer job
Mayor Greg Fischer today joined JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio, Metro Council President David James, and other community leaders at Shawnee Park to announce the start of registration for SummerWorks 2022.
“As we begin the 12th year of SummerWorks, and its 3rd since the start of COVID-19, I’m proud to report that this program is bringing more value to our city than ever,” said Mayor Fischer. “At its core, SummerWorks is about making sure all of this city’s young people have access to quality summer job experiences. But it’s also more than that. SummerWorks helps young people build a resume, get soft skills training, and have the support they need to be successful.”
A new case study published by Results for America, a public policy think tank, identified SummerWorks as a national model for youth summer jobs programs. The study highlighted Louisville’s youth employment rate has outpaced the national average since SummerWorks began in 2011.
SummerWorks participants are more likely to graduate high school, go to college, and find employment than non-participants. One of those young people is Brianne Dorsey, who worked at Thorntons for multiple summers in the early 2010’s, both at their convenience stores and in the corporate offices.
“I first found my interest in marketing during those summers working for Thorntons,” said Dorsey, who majored in marketing in college and is now a marketing coordinator at local firm Nimbus, Inc. “It can be hard to get an entry level job in the field you’re passionate about but having that SummerWorks experience on my resume gave me an edge. I know I’ll be in the marketing world for a long time.”
Private sector companies play a pivotal role partnering with SummerWorks to offer tens of thousands of quality jobs to young people in the community. UPS, Kindred Healthcare, Humana, GE Appliances, Kentucky Kingdom, Kroger and Norton Healthcare have been some of the program’s leading employers since it began. In recent years, SummerWorks has also expanded its partnerships to include JCPS, the University of Louisville, and a variety of local nonprofits.
All Louisville youth who are between the ages of 16-21 (as of June 1) are eligible to enroll in SummerWorks. Youth applicants who face barriers and come from disadvantaged backgrounds are prioritized in the job matching process. SummerWorks is also continuing to sponsor jobs and work-learn experiences at nonprofits and agencies across the community who share the program’s commitment to advancing equity. Once youth register online, they can create or upload a resume, get soft skills training, and apply to job opportunities geared toward them.
SummerWorks, which was founded by Mayor Fischer in 2011 after federal funding for summer jobs was eliminated, has directly placed Louisville youth in more than 7,400 summer jobs. The program’s core operating funds are approved by the Louisville Metro Council. Private donations sponsor jobs for youth in greatest need of the opportunity. Those contributors include the James Graham Brown Foundation, the Diaz Family Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence, the Gingko Foundation, and other organizations and individuals.
SummerWorks is operated by YouthBuild Louisville in partnership with KentuckianaWorks, the Louisville Region’s Workforce Development Board.
You can see more photos and news coverage from the kickoff below:
WAVE3: SummerWorks kicks off to help young adults looking for a job
WLKY: Louisville city leaders working to give youth much-needed job training this summer
MetroTV: Live stream of the event on Facebook
