Ashley McKenzie, 2023 Raleigh Summer Youth Employment Program participant
At the Raleigh Convention Center, Garner High School senior Ashley McKenzie, is also sharpening her marketing skills.
The 17-year-old has used her graphic design talents to create PowerPoint presentations to pitch potential clients.
“I just love how this program is so beneficial. There’s so much to learn and I like that they let me work on actual projects that I can put on my resume,” said McKenzie.
40 Years of Raleigh Summer Youth Employment Program
Rebekah Dixon, Raleigh Summer Youth Employment Program manager
The Raleigh Summer Youth Employment Program started in 1983 and has continued to grow throughout the decades, with 200 teenagers participating this year.
Program Manager, Rebekah Dixon, says the goal is to give Raleigh teenagers real-life work experiences and expose them to a variety of professions they might not have known about without this program.
In addition to the work experience, the teens attend workshops on financial literacy, get help putting together resumes, and practice writing cover letters.
Dixon considers this an investment in our community.
“These young men and women really are our future,” Dixon points out. “What we are doing is putting them in a position to succeed so they can make a positive contribution to our community. And who knows, if we’re lucky, maybe one day they’ll come back and work for the city they love.”