Online application period ends Friday, March 1 for 14-21-year-old Baltimore City residents interested in employment through the popular summer jobs program 

Baltimore City’s wintry weather isn’t distracting its young people from thinking ahead to the summer and making a strong statement that they want to work. More than 14,000 city residents between the ages of 14 and 21 have applied online at youthworks.oedworks.com since the portal opened on January 2, 2019. Over 1,700 applied within the first 24 hours, and more than 6,000 did so within the first week. 

The last day to apply is Friday, March 1. The online application is the first step toward completing the 2019 YouthWorks registration process. Applicants are required to attend in-person verification appointments, conducted through March, to ensure all work documents are in order before being eligible for YouthWorks jobs. 

“These enormous application numbers confirm that Baltimore City’s young people continue to demonstrate their desire for summer employment to earn money, learn new skills, and pursue their preferred career path, Mayor’s Office of Employment Development Director Jason Perkins-Cohen said. “We are proud that YouthWorks is recognized as one of the country’s most successful summer jobs programs – and even more pleased that local youth and their families value the benefits that a YouthWorks job can provide. Our young workers are speaking; it’s up to the entire Baltimore community to supply enough opportunities to meet the demand.”     

For each of the past four summers, YouthWorks offered jobs to more than 8,000 young people, after many years matching at least 5,000 city youth to summer jobs with businesses, nonprofits and government employers throughout the region. In 2018, YouthWorks provided job opportunities to more than 8,600 young adults.

YouthWorks 2019 will operate one five-week session from July 1 through August 2. Participants typically work five-hour days for minimum wage of $10.10 per hour, but employers who provide the salaries may offer increased hours and wages. 

YouthWorks needs support in order to help meet the 2019 demand. There are three ways to help:

HIRE
Private sector and government employers are encouraged to interview, select, and hire from a pool of trained and talented young adults, ages 16-21.These job-ready young people are to work a minimum of 120 hours during the summer at minimum wage or higher. Companies often choose to retain these employees past the summer in part- or full-time year-round employment. Please visit youthworks.oedworks.com or email ywprivate@oedworks.com for more information about hiring through YouthWorks. 

HOST
Nonprofit organizations and community groups can serve as YouthWorks worksites, even with limited funds. YouthWorks will place workers in summer jobs with your organization and pay the salaries. The worksites provide the five-week, five-hour per day (excluding lunch) work experience, supervision and valuable mentoring. Please visit youthworks.oedworks.com to learnabout hosting through YouthWorks, worksite eligibility requirements and to apply to become a 2019 YouthWorks worksite.

DONATE
Corporate sponsors, philanthropic organizations and individuals can support YouthWorks by making a tax-deductible donation. It costs $1,600 to fund one youth in a summer job, but contributions of any amount are appreciated. Online donations can be made at baltimorecityfoundation.org. 

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The Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Employment Development is committed to building a strong workforce for our city by developing meaningful partnerships with the local business community and connecting citizens of all ages and backgrounds with jobs and pathways to careers.

In fiscal year 2018 MOED served more than 31,000 residents at our career center locations and partner sites and assisted more than 750 businesses with developing and retaining their quality workforce. In addition, the YouthWorks summer jobs program offered 8,600 young people employment in 2018 at more than 900 worksite locations. For more information, please visit moed.baltimorecity.gov or follow us on Twitter at @BaltMOED.