
Boston opens Youth Summer Jobs applications with thousands of positions
Boston opened applications for the continually growing youth summer jobs program in an announcement Thursday, “guaranteeing a summer job to every BPS student who wants one.”
“Whatever you’re interested in, if you’re 14 to 24 and live in the city of Boston, we have the opportunity for you to make a difference this summer, support your family and earn some income as well,” said Mayor Michelle Wu at the Dewitt Center in Roxbury.
“Boston is the cradle of liberty, the capital of biotech and healthcare, a hub of research, and a beacon of progress. And every year, we’re excited to make sure that our young people are part of all the ways in which Boston is continuing to make history,” Wu added.
The Youth Summer Jobs program has taken off since the pandemic recovery, from about 4,500 youth participants in 2021 to a record over 10,000 young people with jobs in 2024. Wu also launched the “Mayor’s Youth Jobs Guarantee” for the first time in 2024, promising a summer job to any eligible BPS student who wants one.
Boston residents from age 14 to 24 can apply for positions online at boston.gov/futurebos or in-person at the Youth Jobs Resource Fair on Saturday, Mar. 29, at the Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury.
The fair will last from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Although online pre-registration forms have reached capacity, Wu said, any young people interested should still attend.
The program includes full and part time positions with hundreds of employers from the City of Boston, to various nonprofits, to local restaurants, speakers said Thursday.
“It doesn’t take much to not just inspire but empower these young designers and architects, and who knows what path they’ll take,” said Bill Spaulding, director of education at the design firm Bergmeyer, which participates in the Youth Summer Jobs program.
A map of the 2024 youth summer jobs worksites shows jobs in every neighborhood, with the highest concentrations in Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, Dorchester, Chinatown and East Boston.
Speakers on Thursday pointed to the connection between youth employment and economic opportunity, safety, professional development, mentorship and more.
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“Youth employment isn’t just about earning a paycheck, it’s about growing,” said Karla Garcia, a Boston Latin Student who’s worked with the Madison Park Development Corporation, “and building skills like communication, empathy and decision making.”
Applications and more program information can be found at boston.gov/futurebos.