Mayor Turner and Greater Houston Partnership Kick Off Hire Houston Youth 2017
Sponsor a Summer, Change a Future
Mayor Sylvester Turner and the Greater Houston Partnership kicked off the second year of Hire Houston Youth at a breakfast at the new Partnership Tower adjacent to the George R. Brown Convention Center. Hire Houston Youth provides summer internships and jobs to youth ages 16 to 24. Youth are employed for a minimum of 7 weeks and earn at least $8 an hour. The program placed more than 1,100 local youth in jobs last summer.
“Summer employment provides young people with an opportunity to gain workforce readiness skills, engages them in positive activities during the summer, and links them to long-term career opportunities,” said Mayor Turner. “An able and ready workforce is also critical to ensuring a robust economic future for our city. I am committed to providing summer jobs for our young people who live in the city and I call on our corporate partners to work together with the City of Houston to Hire Houston’s Youth!
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, less than a third of American teenagers held a job last summer, and their participation in the workforce is at a historic low. At the same time, 40-50 percent of large US employers report they cannot fill entry-level positions.
Hire Houston Youth brings together government institutions, businesses, community organizations, and schools to significantly reduce youth unemployment while meeting the workforce needs of employers today and in years to come. Together, the Mayor and the Partnership are calling on the local business community to join Hire Houston Youth for summer of 2017.
There are three ways businesses can help:
- Hire and pay the salary of a Hire Houston Youth participant.
- Pledge $2,500 to sponsor a youth’s salary, training and benefits.
- Support the initiative with a tax deductible donation.
To make your pledge or learn more about Hire Houston Youth, visit http://www.houstontx.gov/hirehoustonyouth/index.html
