(DENVER) – Colorado’s oldest youth employment program is beginning its 43rd year of helping young people prepare for the uncharted territory of a summer job. Each year since its inception in 1981, the Governor’s Summer Job Hunt has connected tens of thousands of high school and college-aged students with Colorado employers willing to give them a chance to learn, put skills to use and see firsthand how a business operates.
“The Governor’s Summer Job Hunt is a critical early step in building an engaged and resilient workforce for Colorado,” said Colorado Department of Labor and Employment Executive Director Joe Barela. “More than 50 state and county-run Workforce Centers and the State Youth Development Council will be joining forces with us, ready to work with another generation of young job seekers this summer.” Workforce Centers have hosted 35 job fairs this year, attended by almost 16,000 youth and more than 1,100 local employers.
“A summer job is an experience that gives a young person a chance to apply their classroom education to real-world situations, and I am thrilled to announce the 43rd annual Governor’s Summer Job Hunt,” said Colorado Governor Jared Polis. “This exciting opportunity supports Colorado’s future generation of leaders in exploring different career paths and learning more about the industries they are passionate about.”
Colorado’s 2023 Teen Job Market
Over the past twelve months, approximately 40 percent of Colorado teens ages 16 to 19 were actively participating in the workforce. While there have been notable improvements in the state's teen unemployment rate, it is still elevated compared to other age groups. Right now, Colorado's labor market is historically tight with 2.1 jobs openings for every unemployed person, and employers are eager to fill open positions.
According to a new survey by the firm of Challenger, Gray and Christmas, the national employment rate for teens is rebounding back to pre-pandemic levels with 1.1 million jobs being created for high school and college students this summer, slightly lower than last year’s gains.
“In Colorado, restaurants, retail outlets, state parks, recreation centers and other employers are already looking for workers,” said Barela. “We know through Governor Polis’ Lifeguard Initiative and our recent statewide Outdoor Recreation Job Fair, that public and private employers within the recreation industry are eager to hire. We anticipate there will be plenty of opportunities for youth available in other sectors that are having a tough time hiring.”
It’s a Learning Platform
That’s all good news for young people looking for summer employment, but program director Steve Wright stresses that the Governor’s Summer Job Hunt is really so much more than simply a brokerage house for summer jobs. There are a lot of things a young person needs to learn in order to be successful in the workforce and the Governor’s Summer Job Hunt is designed to teach the youngest job seekers how to be successful, how to establish a solid work ethic and how to build the groundwork to their future careers, he says.
“Even before the official kickoff of the 2023 program, professionals at Workforce Centers have provided more than 100 workshops covering such topics as résumé writing, interviewing skills and job search strategies to help young people gain a competitive edge in their job hunt,” Wright said. “And with schools letting out, Workforce Centers across the state have already staged more than 100 career exploration events, industry tours and field trips.”
Young people with specific career aspirations can also explore internships and apprenticeships and gain a footing in a variety of industries such as early childhood education, healthcare, information technology, manufacturing and government.
Community-minded businesses are the real lifeblood of the program. “The best employers understand that giving a young person a summer job is an investment in tomorrow’s workforce,” said Barela. “It’s one thing to tell young people the value of knowing how to spell or do simple math, but it’s something else for them to recognize how important it is to get it right when they’re preparing a letter for work or having to make change for a customer. It makes the classroom learning real.”
How To Take Action
As the Governor’s Summer Job Hunt kicks off its 43rd year, summer job seekers can find more details about applying for jobs, and employers can get started in listing their open positions by visiting the GSJH website and Facebook Page.
Young people should also explore their local Workforce Center’s website for information about a variety of workshops and special events. To find the Workforce Center nearest you and link to their website, go to cdle.colorado.gov/wfc.
# # #