Earn a paycheck while gaining work experience and real-life career skills

The MyCITY Summer Youth Employment Program is now accepting applications for the summer of 2019. This program is designed to expose participants to the world of work. The 7-week paid job placement program will begin in June and go through August. Anyone between the ages of 14-21 who lives in the City of Kalamazoo may apply now through April 9.

"MyCITY is all about helping young people develop their career pathways,” said YOU Director Eric Stewart. “For some, it’s an introduction to the world of work. For others, it’s a genuine entry point to their lifelong career. YOU is incredibly proud of MyCITY and extremely grateful to the City of Kalamazoo and the Foundation for Excellence for investing so profoundly in young people’s future.”

The MyCITY summer program is made up of three different pathways:

• Career 101
  Participants, ages 14-15, earn wages for a combination of employment and educational components.
• Career 2.0
  Open to applicants ages 16-21 who earn wages for employment, career exploration activities and educational components.
• CareerNOW
  Participants, ages 18-21, earn wages for participating in training, related work experience and career exploration activities. All applicants must be prepared to enter the workforce full-time upon the completion of the CareerNOW program.

MyCITY, formerly the Summer Youth Employment Program, is the product of a partnership which dates back to 2005 between Youth Opportunities Unlimited (Y.O.U.) and the City of Kalamazoo Parks & Recreation. In 2015, the program received funding from the Foundation for Excellence, allowing the program to triple the number of students employed.

Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU) has served Southwest Michigan communities since its inception in 1961. Today, YOU is part of the Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency, helping job seekers to find employment, complete their educations and thrive in the local area.

For the application and more information about the MyCITY Summer Youth Employment Program, please visit MyCityYOU.org.