Get Paid to Develop Skills for Life and Work

Apply by December 20-Seattle Youth Employment Program Learn and Earn: Pathways

The Seattle Youth Employment Program (SYEP) supports young people (ages 16 to 24) from income-qualifying households and communities experiencing disparities. The goal is to increase youth and young adults' ability to pursue meaningful, well-paying careers.

SYEP is more than just summer internships. About five years ago, the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) expanded SYEP into a year-round pre-employment program. The new programming, Learn and Earn, helps youth and young adults prepare for future work and careers.

Learn and Earn offers two parts: Foundations and Pathways. Both provide job skills, career exploration, workshops, employer visits, and professional introductions. The program, combined with support services, is designed to meet the needs of youth and young adults who often lack access to career connections during their teen years.

Foundations is for youth who are new to the workforce world and for those who need to build their basic job skills to become competitive candidates for any position they apply for. It's a program that includes career planning workshops and covers topics like effective communication, networking, and how to prepare great resumes and cover letters. Participants can participate in the program and earn a monthly stipend to help support them while studying.

Pathways is for participants who have a specific career sector in mind. It's a more advanced program that includes job readiness workshops led by experts, job shadowing, and interviews with professionals within their chosen field. Participants can earn a monthly stipend while preparing for entry-level job experiences.

In January 2025, the program will offer three pathways to pursue:

1. Nursing Pathway: For young adults (18+ years old) interested in nursing. Participants can gain hands-on experience at Swedish Medical Center on First Hill, and earn up to $1,500, while preparing for the Nursing Assistant Certification (NA-C) exam.

2. Software Development Pathway: For youth interested in coding, website creation, and other tech skills. Participants will be part of a virtual cohort program for beginners, and can earn up to $600, while completing this track with our community partner, Computing for All.

3. General Pathway: For youth with a specific career in mind. This track offers up to $425 for completing technical training, career development workshops, job shadowing, and informational interviews with professionals. Participants may also work with a counselor to get feedback on their portfolio (resume, cover letter, etc.).

Learn and Earn participants love the program! "I think SYEP is going very well! I find this a comfortable and enjoyable space where I can learn while having fun," shared Michelle. Another participant, Arianne said, "What is going well for me in SYEP is the content we learn in the workshops appl[ies] to my school life. I find myself using the tools given to us in SYEP [at school]." And a third participant reported that everything in the program is great "but what I like most is how we are not just taught about the skills we learn, but also how to achieve and apply them."

SYEP is currently accepting applications for the Learn and Earn: Pathways Program through Friday, December 20, 2024. To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be between the ages of 16 and 24 years old at the start of the program, in January;
• Live within Seattle or attend a Seattle Public School or Seattle College; and have
• Household income at or below 80% of the Area Median Income for Seattle/King County.

For more information and to apply, visit www.seattle.gov/SYEP.

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