Job-to-Careers is offered by the Youth OPTIONS Education and Employment Center in Yonkers which has a comprehensive job readiness, basic skills, and occupational skills training program.  The program is designed to put youth on a track for self-sufficiency through connection to work experiences that have the potential for career advancement and professional growth.  Frequently, Jobs-to-Careers assists youth who have struggled to enter the workforce, yet who have marketable skills and talents that are of value to business.

Through participation in Jobs-to-Careers, Westchester businesses can strengthen their staff and services by hiring entry-level employees who have been pre-screened and trained through the Youth OPTIONS Center.  The cornerstone of the Jobs-to-Careers experience is a professional internship that works as follows:

• An employer hires a Jobs-to-Careers participant for a 10 week internship
• Children’s Village pays the youth a stipend during the internship, in lieu of a wage
• The employer assesses and trains the youth over the internship
• An Employment Counselor provides ongoing support to the employer and intern
• The youth continues participating in weekly professional development activities
• After the 10 week internship, the employer can hire the youth permanently

Employers who have collaborated with the program include banks, insurance brokers, healthcare companies, construction firms, retail stores, HVAC companies, electrical contractors, cable television operators, and The Children’s Village itself.

To learn more about how you can become a Jobs to Careers Employer, please call the Youth OPTIONS Education and Employment Center at (914)423-2621.