Executive Directive No. 9 – Support for Hire LA’s Youth/Summer Youth Employment Program

The City of Los Angeles recognizes the value of early work experience and the
importance of fostering skill development, education, and economic success. Teens
and young adults are having a harder time finding work in Los Angeles compared to
other large metropolitan areas in the nation. Furthermore, young people often fall
behind during the summer, when school is out. In fact, 10 to 20 percent of students
returning to school in the fall return at a lower level than when the summer began.

The Summer Youth Employment Program has been a key component of the Youth
Workforce Development System for well over 30 years in the City of Los Angeles. In
the summer of 2005, Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa, the Los Angeles City Council, and
the Workforce Investment Board, in partnership with the Los Angeles Area Chamber of
Commerce, created the Hire LA’s Youth campaign to provide summer and year-round
employment opportunities for young people ages 14 to 24. Since the campaign’s
inception, over 85,000 youths and young adults have been employed by private and
public-sector employers. Helping young adults gain the skills needed to compete in the
workforce is one of the most powerful tools for expanding opportunities for City
residents, and summer jobs are a critical entry point on the continuum to long-term
employment success.