Flint & Genesee Education & Talent is seeking proposals from Genesee County employers interested in hiring graduates of the TeenQuest pre-employment training program this summer.
As part of the Summer Youth Initiative (SYI), local employers who participate in the SYI Job Fair in April can hire teens, ages 14-19, for three to 15 weeks over the summer.
Why is SYI so advantageous for local businesses, organizations and schools? There are multiple reasons, including:
- It benefits your bottom line. From our limited funding, for-profit businesses are eligible to receive a 50-50 salary match for employees hired through SYI. Nonprofits and schools are eligible to have up to 100 percent of costs subsidized.
- The teens have soft skills. TeenQuest graduates 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.
- It offers the perfect evaluation period. The program runs from June through early September. If employers are impressed with the work completed, they always have the option to continue the employment after the program ends.
Past SYI employers have included schools, summer day camps, urban gardening and community beautification projects and general office settings.
Interested in learning more? Education & Talent will hold a technical assistance meeting regarding SYI in 2022. This meeting will provide new applicants with complete information about the program, as well as helpful tips for a successful application. If your organization has been funded in the past, this meeting is optional. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 10, from 1-2 p.m. via Microsoft Teams.
To receive the meeting link, please RSVP to Dawn Bye at .
For more information, or to submit a proposal, click here.