The Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) is a New York City employment program connecting youth between the ages of 14-24 with career exploration opportunities and paid work experience each summer.

Participants have the opportunity to explore their interests and career pathways, develop workplace skills and engage in learning experiences that help in developing their social, civic and leadership skills.

For more information, click here or contact Adam Fier, Director, SYEP Initiatives, at (718) 286-8121 or [email protected].

Ladders for Leaders (L4L)

Ladders for Leaders provides paid internships to NYC youth between the ages of 16–21. Applicants are evaluated based on academic performance, response to an essay question, and resume quality. Selected applicants will undertake 20-30 hours of pre-employment training designed to teach essential workplace readiness skills and professional etiquette. Participants will then have the opportunity to interview for summer internships at a variety of companies. Last summer’s employer partners included Synchrony Financial, Guggenheim Partners, BlackRock, Tapestry, Healthfirst, DA’s office, Museum of Jewish Heritage, Ernst and Young just to name a few. Partners will make final selections for the summer paid internship. Talented individuals with demonstrated leadership experience who possess a genuine desire to gain professional experience should apply online and complete the application for NYC Ladders for Leaders with the Commonpoint Queens. For more information, contact [email protected]

S.Y.E.P. Summer Youth Employment Program: Career Ready

SYEP’s CareerREADY Program was created to provide enhanced opportunities for youth to explore career options and develop work readiness skills, including critical 21st century competencies such as problem solving, team building and analytic reasoning.

Designed to strengthen connections between academic learning  and career exploration. Select NYC public high schools and SYEP contractors work collaboratively to implement both school year and summer program components. Emphasizing work-readiness content to fit the career interests of the youth.

We are proud to offer the Career Ready SYEP Program exclusively at the Following New York City Department of Education Schools:

• Bayside High School
• Benjamin N. Cardozo High School
• Flushing High School/Veritas Academy
• Forest Hills High School
• Francis Lewis High School
• John Bowne High School
• Martin Van Buren High School
• Newcomers High School
• Pan American International High School
• Queens Academy
• Queens High School of Teaching
• Richmond Hill High School

For more information contact David Baker, Director, Career Ready SYEP, at (718) 286-8121 or [email protected].

CareerReady Work Learn and Grow (WLG)

CareerReady WLG offers young people ages 14 to 19 from select public schools in New York City an opportunity to strengthen work readiness skills, explore careers, and receive academic support, including guidance on postsecondary education and the potential to earn college credit.

What Does the Program Offer?

• College Readiness: Learn skills to make a smooth transition from high school to college and “real’ world
• SKill-Building Activities: Receive help with your resume, cover letters, and interview skills. Learn essential job readiness skills and workplace etiquette.
• Earn College Credit: Opportunity to take a College Now course through CUNY and receive college credit
• Career Exploration: Flex your research skills and discover new career possibilities.
• Paid Internship: Paid internship opportunities available in a variety of industries to accommodate your career interests

Who is Eligible?

• 14-19 years old 
• enrolled in one of the Career Ready WLG schools 
• a participant of the previous summer SYEP Program
• a resident of one of the five boroughs of New York City
• legally allowed to work in the US

For more information contact David Baker, Director, Career Ready SYEP, at (718) 286-8121 or [email protected].

S.Y.E.P. Summer Youth Employment Program: Emerging Leaders 

The Summer Youth Employment Program Special Initiative Program – Emerging Leaders (SYEP-EL) is part of the nation’s largest youth employment program, connecting New York City youth between the ages of 14 and 24 with career exploration opportunities and paid work experience for six weeks throughout the summer.

To apply for Emerging Leaders SYEP you must be between the ages of 14 and 24 and in one of the following categories:

• In or aging out of Foster Care
• Who are Runaways
• Who are homeless living in/out of a shelter
• Who are Justice/Court Involved
• Receiving ACS Preventative Services
• Who are receiving Cash Assistance from HRA and are referred through the Business Link from a caseworker

For more information please click here, or contact Michell Marin at [email protected]

CUNY Hillel Career Connect Initiative

The CUNY Hillel Career Services Initiative provides on-site career and graduate school guidance at Hunter College Hillel, Hillel at Brooklyn College, Hillel at Baruch College, Hillel at the College of Staten Island, and Hillel at Queens College. Through the initiative, CUNY Hillel students receive individualized, one-on-one career guidance, group workshops on career exploration and job search topics, and large networking and career exploration events, held in partnership with UJA-Federation of New York’s Emerging Leaders and Philanthropists.

For more information please contact Karen Klein, Director of Career Development, at (718) 268-5011 or [email protected].

This program is made possible through the support of UJA-Federation of New York’s Caring Commission.