Mayor Eric Garcetti and business leaders celebrated Monday that the 2016 HIRE LA’s Youth program goal to employ 15,000 young people was met.
“Every young person deserves the opportunity to earn a paycheck and gain skills that will put them on a path to prosperity,” Garcetti said.
“I will keep raising the bar and setting our sights higher — because HIRE LA’s Youth is an investment that pays off in their lives today, and holds the promise of a brighter future for our city and the entire region.”
Garcetti’s office said that since 2013, the HIRE L.A.’s Youth program has placed more than 43,000 young people in summer jobs.
Garcetti also announced a new goal to hire 20,000 young people for year- round employment by 2020, which would more than quadruple the number of youth jobs that were coordinated by City Hall when he took office 2013.
HIRE LA’s Youth provides job opportunities for Angelenos between the ages of 14 and 24 by placing them in industries such as transportation, entertainment or government while offering training.
“Investing in our youth today will reap untold dividends in the future,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas.
“HIRE LA’s Youth provides some of our most vulnerable and at-risk youth with the opportunity to earn their first paycheck, as well as receiving valuable training and experience that can serve as building blocks to success.”