Application deadline for city’s summer youth program is Monday

Lexington is expanding the number of teens in its summer job training program this year to 300, doubling the annual number of teens in the program since 2011.

And Lexington is changing its teen employment program to better place teens in summer jobs that align with future career interests, said Lexington Social Services Commissioner Chris Ford.

“There is a real emphasis on workforce development,” Ford said. “We are making subtle changes this year that will be substantial in the years to come.”

The deadline for teens 14-17 to apply is 4 p.m. Monday. Ford said Thursday 200 teens have already applied for the program. There are no income limits but priority is given to teens from lower-income families.

“We typically have had 500 applications each year,” Ford said.

The city pays $8.20 an hour for teens to work 20 hours per week to be employed in government, nonprofits and private businesses. In prior years, teens have been mainly employed by the government or nonprofits. This year the application asks teens what areas they are interested in working such as logistics, health care, legal, finance, real estate, government and community organizations.

This is the first year the program will tailor the job placements to the students’ interests, Ford said.

After the application period closes on Monday, the city’s Division of Youth Services will recruit private businesses that may want a youth service employee.

Stephanie Hong, director of the Division of Youth Services, said opening the program to more private businesses will allow more people to have an impact on tomorrow’s workforce.

“It’s an investment in our community and in the next generation,” Hong said. “This is about teaching our next generation employment skills.”

Ford said even if a private employer cannot host a youth worker, businesses can still help. As part of the tweaks to the program, one day a week the 300 teens will have job training classes.

“Even if you’re not a training site there will be opportunities for the business community and the private sector to participate in the training aspect,” Ford said.

In 2011, the program had 150 slots. But a commission on youth and violence spear-headed by Ford, who was then an Urban County Council member, recommended the city expand the popular program in 2012. The city has gradually added more slots as Lexington’s finances improved. Councilman James Brown, who replaced Ford on the council when Ford took the position of social services commissioner, was able to get money in this year’s budget for an additional 75 slots, bringing the total slots to 300.

This story was originally published February 26, 2016 at 1:32 PM with the headline "Application deadline for city’s summer youth program is Monday."