March 27, 2025
City Of Atlanta Opens Registration For Summer Youth Employment Program
Calling all Atlanta youth, the Summer Youth Employment Program is now open for registration.
Atlanta opened registration on Monday for its 2025 Summer Youth Employment Program. The program offers residents ages 14 to 24 a chance for hands-on job experience with pay.
Mayor Andre Dickens announced the program’s launch in a video on the city’s Instagram account. In the post, the mayor urged businesses and community organizations to get involved.
“Atlanta’s young people can access career-building opportunities, receive competitive pay, and gain experiences that will help shape their futures,” Dickens said.
The initiative offers jobs in a variety of fields, including technology, aviation, public service, business, and the arts.
Since Dickens revived the dormant program in 2022, nearly 14,000 young people have participated. The city reported hiring more than 5,700 participants in 2024 across 143 businesses and 15 municipal departments. Youth workers earned an average of $17.70 per hour, with total wages reaching $6.8 million.
High school students comprised more than 70% of last year’s participants, with those aged 14 and 15 encouraged to work with their Atlanta Public Schools counselors to obtain work permits.
Mayor Dickens’ Chief of Staff, Odie Donald, II, spoke to 11 Alive about the diverse opportunities available to the youth.
“Youth ventured beyond the conventional, immersing themselves in high-demand fields like augmented reality, robotics, coding, and even our city’s flourishing airport and film industries,” Donald said.
City data suggests the program has contributed to a decline in youth crime. In the summer of 2024, Atlanta saw a 46% drop in violent crimes involving young people. There was also a 5% decrease in arrests among residents ages 14 to 24.
Officials say structured employment, mentorship, and life skills training have played a key role in these results. Orientation sessions covered workplace professionalism, communication, and conflict resolution, according to a city report on the program’s impact.
To sign up for the Summer Youth Employment Program, click here.
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