(FLINT, Mich., Oct. 24, 2014) – The Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce is offering teens no-cost training in business etiquette as the TeenQuest pre-employment and leadership program is set to begin a new session at five locations on Monday, Nov. 3.
Applications will be accepted through the first day of the session from youths ages 14-18, grades 9-12. The TeenQuest program will run Nov. 3-Dec. 4 at these locations and times:
- Baker Career Academy, 4-6 p.m.
- Carman-Ainsworth High School, 2:45-4:45 p.m.
- Hamady High School, 3-5 p.m.
- Kearsley High School, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
- Northwestern High School, 3:15-5:15 p.m.
“We just completed a very successful fall session of TeenQuest that prepared about 160 students for future employment in a matter of weeks,” said Rhetta Hunyady, Vice President, Education and Training, Flint & Genesee Chamber. “In this second session of the school year, we offer different locations and times so that we can reach as many teens throughout our community as possible.”
TeenQuest is a five-week training program designed to help Flint & Genesee youths prepare for success. Students learn the basics of teamwork, business etiquette, work ethics, communication, goal setting and conflict resolution.
This is the second TeenQuest session of the 2014-15 school year. Upcoming sessions are also planned for Jan. 12-Feb. 12 and Feb. 23-March 26.
TeenQuest applications can be downloaded online at https://www.flintandgenesee.org/learn/teenquest/apply-today/.
In addition to the age and grade requirements, students must commit to attending the TeenQuest program two hours per day after school, Monday through Thursday, over the five-week period.
TeenQuest is also a pre-requisite for employment through the Summer Youth Initiative (SYI), which matches employers with hundreds of TeenQuest graduates for summer employment. Nonprofit organizations and businesses that hire TeenQuest graduates are eligible to have 50 percent to 100 percent of costs subsidized.
This past summer, 617 youths ages 14-18 were employed through SYI, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources , the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and some for-profit businesses.
For more information about TeenQuest, contact Hunyady at or (810) 600-1412.
About the Summer Youth Initiative and TeenQuest
The Summer Youth Initiative is a program that helps Flint-area teens find paid summer jobs. It’s open to students who’ve completed the TeenQuest afterschool program, which provides pre-employment and leadership training to students ages 14 to 19 to help them succeed in college and the 21st century workplace. Both programs are administered by the Genesee Area Focus Fund, a supporting organization of the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, with support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. To apply or learn more, visit www.flintandgenesee.org/teenquest.