Wage match available to employers who hire through Summer Youth Initiative job fair
(FLINT, Mich., March 14, 2022) – Are you an employer seeking to fill summer job openings? Or are you a TeenQuest graduate who would like to earn up to $12/hour during summer break? Good news: There’s still time to get your proposals and applications in for the Summer Youth Initiative (SYI) Job Fair, which will be held April 30.
Employer proposals are due March 18, and student applications are due by March 31.
“The Summer Youth Initiative Job Fair helps connect local employers with high school students who have graduated from the TeenQuest pre-employment and leadership training program,” said James Avery, director of talent development at Flint & Genesee Education & Talent, a division of Flint & Genesee Group. “Every year, hundreds of Genesee County teens are hired because of this event. For many of our students, this is where they land their first job.”
Teens who participate in SYI have completed 40 hours of hands-on training covering resume writing, interviewing and business etiquette. According to Avery, they understand the importance of communicating effectively, being on time and working as part of a team – the kinds of things that define a quality employee.
Even better, SYI is a cost-effective option for area employers. Participating for-profit businesses are eligible to receive a 50-50 salary match for employees hired through Summer Youth Initiative. Nonprofits and schools are eligible to have up to 100 percent of costs subsidized.
Past SYI employers have included schools, summer day camps, urban gardening and community beautification projects, general office settings, retail and food service.
Businesses and nonprofits interested in participating in SYI can request a private meeting and review of their draft proposal by contacting Dawn Bye at 810-600-1413 or . Proposals are due by 5 p.m. March 18. For more information, or to download the RFP application, click here.
Students interested in participating in the job fair should apply by March 31 at www.flintandgenesee.org/syi. The program is open to TeenQuest graduates who live in Genesee County and are ages 14-19 in grades 9-12.
“If you’re a teen who hasn’t yet gone through TeenQuest, stay tuned for details about our summer and fall schedule,” Avery said. “That way, you’ll be ahead of the game for our 2023 job fair!”
To learn more about Flint & Genesee Education & Talent, visit flintandgenesee.org.
About Flint & Genesee Education & Talent
Flint & Genesee Education & Talent, a division of the Flint & Genesee Group, provides high-quality talent development through a continuum of programs for youth and adults including YouthQuest; TeenQuest; and Summer Youth Initiative; and, is funded in part by Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and Michigan 21st Century Community Learning Centers. For more information, visit flintandgenesee.org, and check us out on Facebook.