Engaged today. Employed tomorrow.
WorkReady
Philadelphia’s thriving regional economy relies on highly-skilled workers, leaders and entrepreneurs. To meet these needs, educational institutions must prepare individuals who can think, create, identify problems and solve them. But schools can’t do the job alone. For while all of today’s young people need a rigorous academic program that prepares them for college and career success, a growing body of research also suggests that low-income, high-risk teens who have opportunities to gain work experience and to connect education and work during high school are likely to do better in school and earn more throughout their lifetimes. The bad news is that opportunities for work and work experience are far less available to youth in urban neighborhoods than to those who live in more affluent suburbs.
That’s where WorkReady comes in. WorkReady is an initiative of the Philadelphia Youth Council and is managed by the Philadelphia Youth Network. WorkReady Philadelphia combines the resources and efforts of employers, the City of Philadelphia, the School District and high-quality youth-serving organizations to offer programs featuring paid summer and school-year internships under professional mentors with some of the area's leading companies. These high-quality workplace experiences can increase academic performance, career preparation and future employment by helping young people to understand and master skills desired by employers, such as interpersonal communication, organizational and time management, and appropriate workplace behavior. Employment opportunities during the high school years can also lead to stronger connections to postsecondary education and greater labor force participation and earnings as adults.
For more information about WorkReady, visit www.workreadyphila.com.
