PHILADELPHIA — Summer jobs return to Philadelphia! Today, the Philadelphia Youth Network (PYN), together with its citywide network of partners, launched the official application for WorkReady Summer 2023. Philadelphia residents between the ages of 12 and 24 are now welcome to apply for paid work experiences offered by WorkReady’s 90+ program providers and 650+ worksites across the city.
Taking place over 6 weeks from July through August, WorkReady Summer is a youth-focused career development program designed to provide hands-on work experiences and incentivized career exposure opportunities to Philadelphia youth. WorkReady Summer is managed by the Philadelphia Youth Network, in partnership with the City of Philadelphia Office of Children and Families, Philadelphia Works, and dozens of other partner organizations, non-profits, businesses, and local community groups.
Last year, WorkReady Summer programs employed more than 7,600 youth at hundreds of worksites across the city, with more than $8 million in payments made directly to youth workers.
This year, to continue to improve WorkReady Summer programming, PYN has implemented a new online system to make the application more accessible and comprehensive to youth and families. Through this system, youth will be able to enroll to receive their pay via direct deposit into a personal bank account. PYN is working in partnership with GetSchooled, a national non-profit organization dedicated to providing college and career advice for youth, to lead a financial literacy campaign centered on helping young people obtain a bank account and enroll in direct deposit for the first time.
PYN will continue to use tools and resources introduced in recent years, including the WorkReady Hotline, available weekdays via phone (267.502.3900) and email (WorkReadyHelp@pyninc.org) as well as the Program Locator tool to help young people browse WorkReady programs based on age, zip code, level of experience and/or areas of interest.
In addition, PYN is also committed to providing young people with additional support and resources, such as direct financial assistance to cover fees for youth in need of vital documents necessary to be eligible to work.
“Subsidized summer jobs are a critical lifeline for so many in our city,” says John Clayton, Interim CEO at the Philadelphia Youth Network. “Not only do these opportunities provide many young people with a critical first work experience, but they also put money directly into the pockets of those who need it most. PYN is privileged to have so many committed partners who are as passionate as we are about investing in the bridges to success that young people in our community rely on.”
To apply to WorkReady Summer, visit workready.org.
The Philadelphia Youth Network (PYN) is a solutions-builder forging together significant players to alleviate a root cause of poverty by preparing 12-24-year-olds to become productive working adults. Our work is grounded in the understanding that young people need access to both education and employment, proven factors in being prepared for a career. With a track record of increasing impact, PYN funds and brokers action with the right partners to collectively address barriers. PYN constructs systems to create change, while innovating to meet evolving needs. Together with our partners, PYN dramatically changes the trajectory of individuals’ lives by giving voice to underserved youth, and ultimately creating a pipeline for an educated, engaged workforce. For more information, visit www.pyninc.org.
WorkReady programs offer 12–24-year-olds in Philadelphia opportunities for workforce preparation. WorkReady Summer programming runs between July and August each year, and WorkReady School-Year opportunities are available by invitation only. WorkReady Summer offers 100+ different programs through 80+ partner organizations throughout Philadelphia. Each year, at least twice as many young people apply for the roughly 8,000 opportunities available. WorkReady is managed by the Philadelphia Youth Network (PYN).