CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Mayor Brandon Johnson says thousands of jobs will be available for young people in the city this summer.
Applications have opened this week for the One Summer Chicago Jobs Program. The city is offering summer employment to young people from ages 14- 24.
“The most important investment that we can make in our City is to put W-2’s into the hands of young people,” Johnson said.
“The young people of Chicago are ready and eager to get to work. We are mobilizing across City departments, sister agencies, labor unions, community-based organizations, the philanthropic community, small businesses, and large corporations to meet this moment for our young people."
In an event at Dyett High School on the South Side, Mayor Johnson restated his goal of finding jobs for 40,000 young people, which is double last year’s mark.
Dyett High school was a significant setting. Back when he was known as an activist, the mayor was among those who went on a hunger strike to prevent its closing under then Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
He spoke to students there and asked them why they were looking for employment.
They said were motivated by family members and school staff, who pushed them to apply for the program and also wanted something productive to do in the summer as opposed to just staying home.
Applications are online at onesummerchicago.org. The program itself will run from June 24 through August 2.