MyCITY is a seasonal youth employment program that serves as the gateway to paid internship and work experience. During our fall, spring, and summer sessions, young people ages 14-24, can get paid to explore career paths, develop essential skills in communication, collaboration, problem-solving, critical thinking, and self-management and connect with employers in their community.  Young people, ages 14-24, are encouraged to apply.  Eligibility for participation will be determined upon application.

When do the sessions start and how long will the sessions last?

We offer a Fall, Spring, and Summer session.  Spring applications are open November 13th - December 22nd!  

Fall and Spring session include our 4-week internship prep session. Participants will earn a stipend for completion of weekly activities, including engagement  in career training workshops once a week held in person.  During the prep session, participants will have the opportunity to interview for competitive internships with our employer partners. Participants who are matched to internships will continue into a 7-week internship session.  They will be paid to work directly with local employers to gain hands-on work experience. 

Our summer session serves as the gateway to paid internship and work experience. Participants spend seven weeks of their summer developing their soft skills, networking with community employers, exploring career interests and options, and working at community job sites.  

Check out the FAQ section to make sure you're prepared to apply!

MyCITY Kalamazoo is Funded by the City of Kalamazoo's Foundation for Excellence

Check out our other programs!

• CareerNOW - CareerNOW is a free, hands-on, short-term career training program for individuals ages 18 - 24 who are interested in obtaining an industry recognized credential. 
• 2Gen - 2Gen is a ten-week paid career exploration and pathway planning program for Kalamazoo families.  

“It really opened my eyes to a lot of new opportunities,” says a participant involved in the summer session of MyCITY. MyCITY, a paid career pathway planning program for young people ages 14-21, opens doors for participants to build awareness about career options and develop work skills and relationships that support their professional goals. The participant is grateful for the various internships she has done and reflects, “I've learned a lot of my skills and a lot of personal training skills.” Her favorite experience has been her internship with Tastes of Heaven, a local gourmet popcorn and candy shop. “I really liked it,” she says, “the people just love what they’re doing.” This summer, participants engaged in tours with local employers and academic providers, completed hands-on projects related to popular career pathways, received training directly from MyCITY staff and participated in internships with local employer partners. "Come in ready to try new things,” she comments, “You’re going to have to step out of your comfort zone.” This participant has returned to MyCITY season after season and continues to grow in her understanding of herself, her goals and her strengths. With the ability to explore career options through her participation in MyCITY, she’s keeping her options open, but especially excited about careers in healthcare and communication. MyCITY will continue to support this participant and many others in refining their career pathway to set them up for long-term success.