Friends,

The young people of Little Rock are among our most important assets. They are the leaders of tomorrow who will keep Little Rock moving forward as a thriving City for years to come. Because we value the benefits and potential of our youth, the City of Little Rock offers multiple community programs for children and young people, including one in particular that provides teenagers and young adults with on-the-job training and tangible skills for the workforce.

The City spends more than $1 million a year supporting the Summer Youth Employment program operated by our Department of Community Programs. Little Rock residents ages 16 through 21 may apply for employment with the City of Little Rock or community partners. Applications for the 2023 Summer Youth Employment program are now open, both for youth and for local businesses who wish to be community partners.

Last year, about 400 Little Rock teens and young adults participated in the program. Participants are expected to work a job for 32 hours per week for up to six weeks during the summer. These paid employment opportunities provide real-life work experience and on-the-job training, while helping young people gain a better understanding of potential career paths, as well as money and time management.

The Summer Youth Employment program is a great way for participating work sites to identify future full-time workers. We ask leaders at participating businesses to help us facilitate development of the next generation’s workforce by serving as mentors to our youth participants.

Research indicates that students who have summer jobs will gain the essential confidence they need to tackle future challenges, whether in the classroom or in their careers. Additionally, summer employment is shown to improve time management skills and can be a valuable way for youth to build connections and networks in the career field they may choose.

Applications for Summer Youth Employment will continue until March 31, or until 1,000 applications have been received, so don’t delay in submitting an application.

Youth interns are required to attend job readiness training from June 5 to June 9, with the program running six weeks, from June 20 to July 28. Interns will work 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday of those weeks. Applicants must be Little Rock residents ages 16 to 21.

For more information, and for applications for both employment and work sites, visit our website.

The City’s investment in the program covers payroll for workers and workers compensation insurance. We know that as Baby Boomers leave the workforce, it’s more critical now than ever to identify young employees with positive workforce habits so that they can be partners with us in growing Little Rock and its economy.

We truly believe that investing in our youth is a direct investment in the future of this City, which is why we work hard every year to ensure that our summer youth employment program is a success. I encourage young people and local businesses to engage in this unique and important opportunity.