Investing in Houston’s Youth Through Jobs and Training for the Future . By Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner

A famous entertainer once sang, “I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way.” That is our focus at Houston City Hall. This summer, we will provide job, leadership, and skills training to prepare young people for the future.

I recently joined business and nonprofit leaders to launch my signature program, Hire Houston Youth, which provides paid summer jobs and internships to youth ages 16 – 24. HHY will offer young people with “earn and learn” positions in the public, private, and philanthropic sectors.

Employment plays a pivotal role in reducing gender, ethnic, racial, and other social inequalities. Therefore, providing meaningful employment experiences for our youth is in the best interest of all, including young people, their communities, and Houston as a whole.

In 2021, with the economy on the rebound from the COVID-19 public health emergency, Hire Houston Youth offered over 9,500 opportunities. So, this year, I have set a goal of providing 12,000 job and internship opportunities, with a stretch goal of 15,000.

Recently, Houston was one of just five cities awarded a $150,000 grant by the National League of Cities. We will use those funds for the Hire Houston Youth initiative. In addition to the monetary award, Houston will receive specialized assistance from the National League of Cities staff and other national experts to advance the city’s efforts to expand STEM career pathways for marginalized young people.

Through Hire Houston Youth and the awarded funds, the City of Houston has an opportunity to address long-standing inequities by creating pathways from residents to resilient, living wage trajectory jobs. This initiative also aligns with the Mayor’s One Safe Houston campaign that seeks to reduce violence, prevent crime, provide increased crisis intervention, engage the community, and provide outreach opportunities to young people.

Employers can sign up, and youth can apply for jobs by visiting http://www.hirehoustonyouth.org. The application deadline is April 8. For more information, please visit our website or contact our team at hirehoustonyouth@houstontx.gov.