New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) Commissioner Keith Howard today announced the opening of applications for the 2024 Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), providing 100,000 summer jobs and other paid opportunities to young people ages 14-24.
SYEP applications can be completed online or through participating community-based organizations found
at nyc.gov/syep, during the application period from Monday, January 22, through Friday, March 1, 2024.
Applications also opened for employers who would like to provide paid experiences for SYEP
participants by becoming a worksite.
“Programs like SYEP give our young people the right skills and opportunities they need to succeed,” said
New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “Today, we are thrilled to open the application for summer 2024 to
expose our youth to new ideas, new people, and new possibilities to experiences the greatest classroom in the
world: New York City! Our administration has invested record amounts to maintain and expand these
programs, and, for the third year in a row, the Summer Youth Employment Program will reach 100,000
young New Yorkers.”
“In what has become an annual rite of passage in our city, the opening of SYEP applications means
summertime and new opportunities for young people are just around the corner,” said Deputy Mayor for
Strategic Initiatives Ana Almanzar. “This administration has made historic investments to ensure our
youth are safe, engaged, and gain the experience and skills needed for a successful future. Mayor Adams and
this entire administration are grateful to SYEP’s employer partners and community-based organizations for
opening new doors to the city’s youth as we celebrate another spectacular season of SYEP.”
“Coming off our highly successful 60th anniversary last summer, SYEP begins another decade as the largest
and longest continually operating youth workforce program in the nation,” said DYCD Commissioner
Keith Howard. “Thanks to the ongoing commitment of Mayor Adams, this year 100,000 participants will be
connected to opportunities that offer a paycheck, life and career skills, as well as a career path — just like
my SYEP job did for me.”
SYEP runs for six weeks in July and August. The initiative provides youth with paid opportunities to explore
potential career interests and pathways, allowing participants to engage in learning experiences that help
develop their professional, social, civic, and leadership skills. Participants aged 14 and 15 receive a stipend
for the summer; older youth aged 16-24 are paid the prevailing minimum wage.
Last summer, participants got a jump start on their careers at nearly 18,000 worksites in industries such
as business/finance, fashion, philanthropy, technology, arts/culture, engineering/construction, healthcare,
legal services, real estate, transportation, advertising/marketing, hospitality/tourism, media/entertainment,
and retail.
Ladders for Leaders, a professional internship component of SYEP, connected high-achieving young New
Yorkers to pre-employment training and access to competitive internships with leading companies. Member
firms of the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), such as SL Green, Rudin Management, Cushman &
Wakefield, and others, hired Ladders for Leader interns. Ladders students also had the opportunity to intern
across science and technology companies and organizations, including the New York Stem Cell Foundation,
Google, FLO, the Information Lab, and others
Additionally, SYEP offered tailored experiences to thousands of young people who are:
• At highest risk of gun violence
• Served through Cure Violence
• NYCHA residents
• Living with disabilities
• Justice-involved, experiencing homelessness, in foster care, or attending DOE District 75 schools
(SYEP Emerging Leaders)
• Participants in CareerReady SYEP, aligned with high school academic learning
As part of the administration’s commitment to expanding SYEP:
• Mayor Adams announced SYEP Pride during his 2023 State of the City Address to connect LGBTQ+
youth and allies to unique career exploration opportunities through industry-leading
companies/organizations and their employee resource groups, along with placements at diverse
worksites that offer support from LGBTQ+ employees and allies. More than 3,500 young people
were matched in the inaugural season, with worksites and career exploration hosts ranging from
Louis Vuitton and the Stonewall Inn to Kirrin Finch and Equality New York.
• DYCD again worked with City agencies, NYC City Council, and other public sector organizations to
provide an unprecedented number of internship opportunities in local government. More than 1,000
youth interned with the NYPD, learning about careers in law enforcement and forging positive
relationships with police officers.
• Last summer, Lyft once again offered free Citi Bike memberships to SYEP participants, with
participation growing by more than 76 percent over the prior year. This resulted in 20,000 rides that
gave young people more options to get to and from work.
• SYEP also offers workshops on work readiness, career exploration, and financial literacy. Financial
literacy curriculum equips young people with the tools to build a positive and healthy relationship
with money. Through more than four hours of content, youth identify their financial values; learn
concepts related to banking, saving, taxation, and investing; and develop practical skills to achieve
financial wellness.
• SYEP participants have the option to receive their wages via direct deposit to a bank account of their
choice. Last summer, more than 70 percent of participants received their payment through direct
deposit accounts. The multi-year initiative, Summer Jobs Connect, is funded by the Cities for
Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund) and the Citi Foundation.
Studies indicate SYEP participation improves school attendance, offers new skills, reduces incarceration
rates, and keeps teens and young adults safe — including youth who wouldn’t otherwise have access to
paying jobs. Research shows summer jobs save lives, cuts crime, and strengthens communities. A 2021
study found that SYEP participation lowered participants’ chances of being arrested by 17 percent, and by 23
percent for felony arrests. Additional research has found that SYEP youth are significantly less likely to be
incarcerated in New York State more than five years after their participation in the program
“Being named ‘SYEP Employer of the Year’ fuels our passion for guiding and empowering the next
generation, and we are eager to collaborate with organizations that share our commitment to this cause,”
said Ruberstein Jean-Louis, Section Manager, Strategic Engagement at Con Edison. “We are steadfast
in our mission to mentor and provide meaningful employment opportunities, ensuring that young talent gains
the skills and experiences essential for their future triumphs. This accolade only strengthens our resolve to be
a driving force in shaping tomorrow’s leaders.”
“We are and will continue to be enthusiastic corporate allies in Mayor Adams’ Summer Youth Employment
Program. We are united in our missions to ensure that every New York City student might see themselves as
a future leader at a company like IAC, and then have the resources required to make that future a reality,”
said Suzanne Kennedy, Head of Philanthropy of IAC. “The IAC Fellows Program, an immersive
internship program designed to address the opportunity gap for high-achieving students from historically and
systemically underrepresented communities, relies on this partnership and collaboration to evolve our
program to meet the needs of the next generation of leaders.”
“The Summer Youth Employment Program is a great opportunity for city kids to experience what it’s like to
work for a labor union,” said Rebecca Damon, Executive Director, New York Local, Labor Policy, and
International Affairs at SAG-AFTRA. “Internships help people map out their futures. New York is a union
town that continues to provide good union jobs for workers in entertainment and media. Programs like this
ensure that young people can explore all aspects of the industry.”
“I was in an environmental justice Project-Based Learning site, and learned about how the environment
affects our daily lives. I understood that there are many ways we can keep our community beautiful. My
favorite part was [going] to a local park in the Bronx and [painting] the benches and handball court. I pass by
this park on my way to school, and I will have a sense of pride and accomplishment every time I see the
work I did this summer to make the community better,” said Liz, a 2023 SYEP participant.
“Participating in SYEP was unequivocally an outstanding experience,” said Cupid, an SYEP Pride
participant. “This program not only contributed significantly to my professional growth, but positively
impacted my personal life. Without a doubt, I would wholeheartedly continue my journey with SYEP.”
Program updates will be posted to DYCD’s website and social media channels. For more information, call
DYCD Community Connect (1-800-246-4646) or 311.
To apply, click on this link 2024 Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) Application (nycsyep.com or call 1-800-246-4646.
Source: New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD)
