Employers are the backbone of our program
STL Youth Jobs serves youth (ages 14-24) from career exploration to acceleration through a youth employment system that builds job readiness skills and experiences. Employers make the experience tangible by partnering with us to hire, train, and mentor youth to work at their businesses/organizations.
Our Process
2. Employer orientation
After completing the application process, employer partners attend an orientation to learn about program expectations, logistics, timelines, etc. STL Youth Jobs also offers additional training to optimize the experience (i.e. unconscious bias/inclusive leadership training).
1. Apply
If your business/organization would like to host our youth participants, review our “Hire Youth” page and complete our application. A team member will contact you to discuss next steps.
3. Intake & 4. train (YOUTH ONLY)
Each youth participant engages in an in-depth intake to assess their needs, job skills, and interests in order to facilitate successful job placements. Youth also participate in trainings to help prepare them for work and financial success once they start earning a paycheck.
5. work & supervision
Once a youth completes their intake, HR documents, and training, they can begin their work experience. The employer is responsible for additional job-specific training and supervision as youth work at their business/organization. Each program varies in the maximum number of hours a youth can work.
Youth TraininG
To best prepare young people for on-the-job success, all youth participate in the following trainings:
Job readiness: how to assemble a resume, fill out an application, search for jobs, network, and approach interviews.
Essential skills: how to dress for work, navigate coworker relationships, improve interpersonal skills, handle conflict, and present themselves professionally.
Financial literacy: understanding core components of budgeting, money management, how to handle checks and cash, and opening a checking and savings account.
Youth Placement at a Worksite
Once a youth is ready for work, STL Youth Jobs connects them to valuable employment experiences. Employers receive job-ready youth and commit to providing necessary specialized training, employment oversight, mentorship, and feedback. Our Job Coaches support both youth and employers every step of the way to ensure their experience is successful. Youth are placed with employers through a variety of methods:
Area of interest – during the assessment phase, Job Coaches help youth identify viable career trajectories and interests and then placement teams do their best to connect youth to work experiences that are aligned with those interests.
Demand-driven skill-building – STL Youth Jobs monitors local, regional, and national labor trends to identify in-demand, high-growth career sectors. We strategically deploy youth in these industries so that by the time youth graduate, they are ready to work at businesses/organizations that are ready to hire them.
Local businesses – in some cases, the most important success factor for youth is proximity. We connect youth with local businesses that are accessible to youth and that play an important part of the fabric of their community.
Job Coach: Follow Up & Support
From the earliest stages of the program, youth are connected to a Job Coach who is committed to their success. This Job Coach provides an initial assessment, works with both youth and employers throughout the duration of the program to ensure success and provide support, and offers ongoing guidance and oversight throughout the program to help youth accomplish their short-term employment plans, while also setting them up to accomplish their long-term goals.
That same Job Coach also serves as the program liaison for employer partners. This is the main point of contact for employers once youth are placed with their business/organization, and Job Coaches frequently reach out to discuss a youth placement at your worksite, collect and review timesheets, check-in on progress/areas of growth, answer programmatic questions, and more.
Employer Contribution
Employer partners are asked to contribute toward the individual participant cost, which ranges from $2,800-$3,200/youth depending on their program. This amount covers youth compensation, payroll, training, and ongoing case management, as well as additional program costs. Employer contributions are based on a sliding scale and a limited number of free spots are available each year for small businesses/organizations. Employers that contribute to the program receive priority placement.
Partner & Mentor
We have multiple ways for individuals and businesses/organizations to get involved with STL Youth Jobs. If you are interested in learning more, please contact us.