GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — According to the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget, about half of the state's roughly 500,000 teens ages 16 through 19 are expected to join job market this summer.
With summer break starting for students in Grand Rapids soon, there's a pair of local organizations working to get those first-time job seekers their first paycheck.
The city of Grand Rapids is partnering with West Michigan Works! to make the GRow1000 Youth Employment Program even better.
GRow1000 started in the summer of 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing racial and economic disparities. City leadership called on business and community leaders to help mitigate these effects by employing 1,000 young people during the summer.
Since then, GRow1000 has placed more than 600 youth in meaningful jobs and unique job sites.
This year, GRow1000 has partnered with West Michigan Works! to connect people ages 15 to 24 with job opportunities and skill-building resources.
Participants in the program will be matched with employers for a 6-week, 120-hour, paid work experience.
This year, the program is launching its GRow1000 Academy curated by Our Community’s Children for the 18 to 24-year-old population. The academy promotes long-term employment thanks in part to a Bank of America grant.
To learn more about the program, click here.
