DeKalb County is serving up opportunities for its youth this summer, launching its eighth annual Summer Youth Jobs Training Program to help tackle the biting realities of inflation and sky-high food costs. CEO Michael L. Thurmond highlighted the program's benefits, saying, "the summer youth training program addresses economic hurdles, including surging inflation and escalating food costs, by empowering young individuals to earn income while acquiring pivotal job skills that will open doors to bright futures.", as per the annoucement of DeKalb County.

Since its inception in 2017, the program has offered valuable training to over 4,000 young folks, and now the gates are open again for applications, this time around, from April 15 to April 23, 11:59 p.m., for the five-week program that's set to run from June 3 through July 5, 2024. The DeKalb Vocational Career Academy (DVCA), a nexus of educational and workforce entities in DeKalb, will be providing 700 internships for county residents aged 14 to 24 who will pocket $10 an hour, prospective participants can throw their hats in the ring for these positions at www.dekalbcountyga.gov/careeracademy, and hope luck's in their favor as they're picked through a lottery system.

The DVCA stands out for its collaborative approach, uniting DeKalb County Government, DeKalb County School District, Georgia Piedmont Technical College, WorkSource DeKalb, alongside public/private partners, and community resource agencies with one common goal to close achievement gaps and support the youth and their families. According to details shared by DeKalb County, the program's broad scope spans academic enhancement, career and credentialing training, including GED preparation, and keeps the youth engaged with motivational workshops throughout the summer.

Once the lottery has spoken, those lucky individuals snagging a spot in this coveted program need to act promptly, swiftly sending their confirmation to ensure they don't lose out on this chance for an enlightening summer that could set their professional trajectory alight. For further dope, contact Ms. Jowan Dennis, the Employment and Training Analyst Supervisor via email at [email protected] or by giving a buzz to (404) 313-2969, she's the oracle for all the ins and outs of this year's program, sure to answer all queries that you might have.