Youth Employment
An Overview of the 2020 Summer Youth Employment Program
The Summer Youth Employment and Training Program offers more than a summer job. It’s an annual employment opportunity, where youth are trained in the skills that employers are seeking, including skills for health careers, worker safety, clerical, landscaping, food preparation, and more. Thanks to funding from the Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board, EASTCONN and its partners offer the Summer Youth Employment program for income-eligible youth, ages 14 to 24, who reside in eastern Connecticut. Participants are paid minimum wage ($11 per hour) to work approximately 80-100 hours during July and August. During the 2020 summer program, due to COVID-19, a total of 295 youths participated in a series of Google Classroom paid trainings in pre-employability skills, such as resume writing, goal setting, career interests and lifestyle budgeting, among other things. Another 10 youths over the age of 18 chose in-person internships, which they attended with proper safety precautions in place. During the 2020 summer online program, many students were also provided with Chromebooks and Wifi to ensure they could access online classes. Funding also paid for driver education fees, DMV permits, car insurance and repairs, as well as, when needed, rent and clothing. Area businesses across eastern Connecticut provided the in-person employment and internships, as they do every year, while EASTCONN and its partners in Norwich and New London provided online trainings.
Please check back here in Spring 2021 for an opportunity to apply to the 2021 Summer Youth Employment Program in eastern Connecticut.
Employers who are interested in providing internship opportunities for the 2021 Summer Youth Employment Program may contact EASTONN Summer Youth Coordinator Cyndi Wells at cwells@eastconn.org.
WIOA In School Youth Program: COOL (Careers of Our Lives) Directions:
EASTCONN, in collaboration with New London Youth Affairs and Norwich Human Services, engage and prepare in-school youth from the Windham, Danielson, Norwich and New London area (aged 16-18, a high school junior or senior who meet the WIOA eligibility guidelines and have barriers to employment). The program provides:
- Academic Support, Career Assessment, and Transition Planning,
- Career exploration and labor market information, Job placement/internship/
- Job placement/internship/work-based learning opportunities,
- Portfolios documenting all components of the COOL Directions Pipeline program,
- Financial Literacy, Entrepreneurial Skills, Basic Skills in Reading and Math and Life Skills Training,
- Youth Mentorship with a caring adult
- Leadership, communication and team building skill development.
An integral component of the COOL Directions program is the temporary paid internship experience. Participants will apply and be interviewed for individualized worksite internships that are related to the youth’s career ladder/pipeline interests, and foster growth in work readiness skill development.
For more information - EASTCONN
EASTCONN administers the WIOA Youth Employment Program for the Eastern CT Workforce Investment Board. EASTCONN subcontracts with Norwich Youth and Family Services and New London Youth Affairs for the delivery of program services in the Southeast Region.
The program serves youth in the following towns: Ashford, Brooklyn, Canterbury, Chaplin, Columbia, Coventry, Eastford, Hampton, Killingly, Lebanon, Mansfield, Plainfield, Pomfret, Putnam, Scotland, Sterling, Thompson, Union, Willington, Windham, Woodstock.
EASTCONN Community Learning Center at Tyler Square:
1320 Main St, Suite #25, Willimantic, CT 06226
Phone: 860-455-1572 Fax: 860-455-0691
Program Contact: Yamilez Perea-Gonzalez, yPerea-Gonzalez@eastconn.org
EASTCONN Northeast Learning Center in Danielson:
562 Westcott Road, Danielson, CT 06239
Phone: 860-779-3770 Fax: 860-779-3384
Program Contact: Connie Sipos, csipos@eastconn.org
For more Information - Norwich Youth and Family Services
The program serves youth in the following towns: Bozrah, Colchester, Franklin, Griswold, Lisbon, Montville, Norwich, Preston, Sprague, Voluntown.
Norwich Youth and Family Services 80 Broadway Norwich, Connecticut 06360
Phone: 860-823-3783 Fax: 860-823-3793
Program Contact: Kate Milde, kmilde@cityofnorwich.org
For more Information - New London Youth Affairs
The program serves youth in the following towns: East Lyme, Groton, Ledyard, Lyme, New London, North Stonington, Old Lyme, Salem, Stonington, Waterford.
New London Youth Affairs 111 Union St, New London, Connecticut 06320
Phone: 860-440-6653 or 860-442-4994 Fax: 860-443-1795
Program Contact: Cindy Alvarez, Jalvarez@newlondonct.org