Interns Complete DeKalb Summer Employment Program

Decatur, Ga. – As DeKalb County students prepare to head back to school, approximately 300 of them will return with work experience and extra income after completing the DeKalb summer youth employment initiative, DeKalb Works. Interns received more than a combined $175,000 in compensation and $40,000 in transportation assistance.

“The unemployment rate in Georgia for youth is more than 30 percent,” said CEO Thurmond. “By investing in DeKalb’s youth through employment, we gave interns access to mentors and work experiences to help them transition to adulthood.”

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners approved $250,000 requested by CEO Thurmond for DeKalb Works in the 2017 budget, the first time county funds were appropriated for a summer youth employment initiative. Administered by WorkSource DeKalb, approximately 300 youth were paired with more than 70 employers in private and public sector organizations to earn $9 per hour throughout the six-week internship. In addition to work experience, participants received soft-skills training, in which they learned about punctuality, conflict resolution, presentation and other important job skills.

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