Teen Employment Help
Library Resources (library card required)
JobNow: Live job assistance. Available Monday through Sunday, 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. EST. Other job resources available 24/7 online include: personality & career assessments, aptitude tests, resume writing, interview coaching, and skill builders.
Youth Employment Programs
Workforce Alliance funds many summer youth employment opportunities in the Greater New Haven community, contact information for many of the following programs is contained on their website.
Youth@Work is a public-private partnership of the City of New Haven, the New Haven Board of Education, Workforce Alliance, the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce and Empower New Haven. The program was established to provide undeserved youth ages 14-22 with enriching year-round and summer employment opportunities, innovative career development activities and essential work readiness skills.
Not only does LEAP have volunteer opportunities, but many of these opportunities come with a stipend and have a chance of advancing into other positions at LEAP, including Junior Counselors and Swim Instructors.
Common Ground High School’s Green Jobs Corps connects young people with paid environmental jobs, career and leadership development opportunities, and the personal and academic supports they need to thrive.
Gateway Community College (GCC) Great Center targets a population of twenty (20) out-of-school youth who previously attended GCC but were designated as not making satisfactory academic progress and have not been retained in credit programming. Funding will provide these students, as well as students referred from partner high school(s) and adult education centers, with an option to attend GCC for non-credit workforce and basic skills training which leads to industry credential(s) and employment. All youth participate in work readiness and financial literacy workshops as a part of their overall training. The work readiness workshop will include how to prepare for a job search, how to write a resume and cover letter, and what are professional references. Other topics would be where to job search, how to apply to a job, and interviewing techniques. This workshop runs for 10 to 12 weeks. Additionally, the financial literacy workshops will include topics like what is a credit score and what it means, how to manage income and expenses, and how to organize important financial documents. These workshops will run for 3 to 4 weeks.
Gather New Haven – Growing Entrepreneurs Internship offered in the summer, this is a great opportunity to learn the ins and outs of operating a small business and working outdoors for the benefit of the community!
Job Corps is a free education and training program that helps young people learn a career, earn a high school diploma or GED, and find and keep a good job. For eligible young people at least 16 years of age that qualify as low income, Job Corps provides the all-around skills needed to succeed in a career and in life.
Interested in finishing your high school career? Want want to get your credited high school diploma or GED? The New Haven Adult Education Center can help! Classes offered in person and online.
The City of Milford Employment and Training Program offers a Certified Nursing Assistant program to fourteen (14) out-of-school youth 18-24 years old in the South Central area. Applicants are economically disadvantaged and included in one or more of the following risk categories: High school dropout and/or basic skills deficient, unemployed/underemployed with poor work history, homeless (a runaway or foster child), pregnant or a parent. The CNA Program will operate for eight (8) weeks, 32.5 hours per week and is designed to incorporate classroom training and clinical experience for all participants. Testing for the CNA license is paid in full for every student by the program.
CRT: Community Renewal Team, in collaboration with the Middlesex Community College, Middlesex Chamber of Commerce, and Middletown Adult Education, will serve 20 WIOA youth. The program is designed to prepare for and place graduates into employment reflecting regional economic demand or job growth that can lead to a career pathway, contingent upon having successfully completed work readiness and vocational training. Occupational skills training, in cooperation with the Middlesex Chamber and Middlesex Community College focuses on a) brownfield remediation occupational skills training, b) medical coding assistant, c) personal care attendant, d) certified nurse’s aide, e) food handler, f) construction, or g) media production.
Have you considered a career and opportunities with the American Military?
Is volunteering in an American community and gaining some job skills, more your speed? Check out Americorps for national and local opportunities to help.
Resume Writing, Interview & Job Readiness Skills
Yale Office of Career Strategy Interviewing Tips Videos and great information for the job interview and also check out Resume tips and video
CareerOneStop is a fantastic resource to help identify potential jobs through assessments, interview tips and practice, help with the job search, creating resumes and connect you to local resources that are ready to help
Another solid site for assessments of potential jobs is Bureau of Labor Statistics: Career Exploration, which offers quizzes, worksheets and guides to help identify interesting careers for students
US Equal Employment Opportunity Youth@Work As a teen in the workplace you need to know your rights!
Planning for College
A great place for helping you get ready for college is the College Board! They have some great resources on getting into college, choosing a college, and paying for college.
The National Association for College Admission Counseling will help you find the best college for you through informative lists.
YouVisit College Virtual Tours Check out the great virtual college tours provided by this great website!
The Hundred-Seven is the first and only searchable database for all academic programs offered at Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Not sure if you are ready for college? Then take a peak at Gap Year Association. Provides connections to counselors, and information related to programs to keep you busy while you get ready with real world experience!
Scholarships and Paying for College
The New Haven Scholarship Fund helps talented and motivated New Haven high school graduating seniors to break the cycle of limited opportunities. The New Haven Scholarship Fund’s sole mission is to provide scholarships to eligible New Haven students who have unmet financial needs and academic potential.
Another resource to help you fund college, New Haven Promise is a college resource for New Haven residents offering scholarship opportunities just for teens in our city.
The FAFSA website offers more than just the FAFSA application. From helping to choose a career path to step-by-step checklists for college readiness, the FAFSA website has it. It can also help you with choosing a school, understanding testing options, and more.
Foundation Grants to Individuals Online is an online database of more than 6,500 foundation and public charity programs that fund students, artists, researchers, and other individual grant seekers. Accessible only at Ives Main Library.
Do you want to get started financing your college education but don’t know where to start? The Connecticut Higher Education Trust (CHET) is a great resource to get you on the road to paying for college. If you want to compare the options you have to finance your education, this is the resource to start with.
Looking for more specific information on how to save for college? U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission 529 Plan is a great resource to start a savings plan early in life. A 529 Plan is an education savings plan operated by a state or educational institution designed to help families set aside funds for future college costs. So if you know your child will be going to college, this site has many resources to help you finance it.