Learn and Earn Pittsburgh: Empowering Youth Through Summer Employment and Career Development
The Learn and Earn program in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County offers invaluable summer job opportunities for young individuals, fostering career skills and providing financial empowerment. This initiative, supported by collaborative efforts and strategic investments, aims to equip the region's youth with the necessary tools for future success.
Overview of the Learn and Earn Program
Learn and Earn is a summer youth employment program providing opportunities for residents of the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. The program is open to young adults and teens, and is designed to provide them with work experience, career exploration, and financial literacy training. Since its inception in 2014, the Learn & Earn program has served over 13,500 young people, investing more than $14.3 million in wages.
Eligibility and Structure
The Learn and Earn Summer Youth Employment program provides summer job opportunities for youth ages 14-21. Residents of the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County may apply for this program. Youth may work up to 25 hours per week, Monday through Friday, for a total of 150 hours during the summer. Actual work hours may vary by job.
The Corporate Internship Program is open to young adults between ages 18-24, who are permanent residents of Allegheny County or the City of Pittsburgh, and have prior work experience.
Application Process
The Corporate Internship on-line application will be available in the Spring of 2025. Application Assistance Centers have been established to assist applicants with the online application. These centers can also assist applicants with uploading documents which are used to verify their eligibility online. Check back in the Spring of 2025 for location and contact information for Application Assistance Centers. Applicants will be asked to upload required documents online. Learn & Earn placements are made on a first-come, first-served basis and are not guaranteed.
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Wages and Financial Empowerment
Learn & Earn is increasing wages to provide even greater support for participants. The starting wage has been raised to $10 per hour. "Experience" participants will earn $12 per hour, and "Advancement" participants will earn $15 per hour. The Learn & Earn program is also offering every participant the opportunity to open a Non-Custodial Bank Account. As part of the program, young individuals receive mandatory financial literacy training and gain access to bank accounts, empowering them to manage their earnings effectively.
Program Enhancements and Updates
As part of Mayor Gainey’s commitment to continuously improving opportunities for the city's young residents, and in response to feedback from participants, business owners, and stakeholders, several key changes have been made to enhance efficiency, accessibility, and overall participant experience. These changes are designed to create greater opportunities for youth employment, streamline program administration, and strengthen partnerships within the community. This updated structure ensures that every participant has the right opportunities to learn, grow, and succeed. Through collaboration with Partner4Work, Mayor Gainey’s administration has designed a two-tiered priority placement system to prioritize young adults from high-need neighborhoods, single-parent households, and families impacted by poverty.
Impact and Testimonials
Ayanna, a senior at PennWest Clarion, has been able to spend the past two summers as a legal intern at ATI in Pittsburgh through the Learn and Earn corporate internship program. “I have gained so much valuable insight into the legal field,” Ayanna said. “The paralegals and legal counsels were immensely welcoming, helpful and offered me terrific career advice moving forward.” She’s also grateful to the caring staff at Phase 4 for help with her resume. She feels confident that she is ready for this next step and that “These internships have increased my interest in pursuing a career in the legal profession".
“Café Momentum nurtures the Pittsburgh community through our food, and our young community members through our career-readiness program,” said Cheyenne Tyler, Executive Director of Cafe Momentum.
According to Mayor Ed Gainey, "The Learn & Earn Program is a game-changer for teens, offering an invaluable opportunity to gain their first work experience and develop essential career skills. It’s not just about earning a paycheck-it’s about building confidence, exploring career paths, and laying the foundation for success in a wide range of industries. With 1,000 spots available this summer across Allegheny County, this program offers teens the chance to gain career exposure and place them on a pathway to prosperity".
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County Executive Sara Innamorato stated, "If we want to strengthen our economy, we need to invest in the talent already here. By connecting young people with diverse mentors early on, we help them build professional roots and see how internships can lead to lasting, sustaining careers right here in our region".
Partnering Organizations and Opportunities
Learn and Earn is a six-week summer employment program for teens and young adults ages 14-21 in Allegheny County and the Pittsburgh region. This program is made possible through a partnership between Allegheny County, the City of Pittsburgh, and Partner4Work with support from local foundations.
Several Allegheny County departments offer internship opportunities for individuals enrolled in higher education, including:
- The Allegheny County Executive Office: Seeking creative, hard-working, skilled, and highly collaborative graduate and undergraduate students for Internships.
- The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD): Provides learning opportunities for students enrolled in a variety of academic programs and clinical learning experiences for undergraduate and graduate nursing students.
- The Department of Human Services (DHS): Hiring interns for summer and school-year internships in several offices, generally available on a semester basis (spring, fall, and summer) but can be tailored to fit each individual's needs.
- The Department of Management and Budget (DMB): Looking for a Summer Intern.
- The Medical Examiner’s Office: Offers a Medical Student Rotation designed for medical students interested in pursuing a career in the field of forensic pathology, and a Forensic Internship intended for college students and graduates interested in pursuing a career in a Forensic Laboratory or within Medicolegal Death Investigations.
- The Department of Public Works: Looking for an intern enrolled in an engineering program at an accredited university and in good academic standing to support the department’s Bridge, Roads and Construction Divisions.
- The Department of Sustainability: Hires self-motivated students interested in professional experiences in environmental sustainability within local government each year.
- The I&I Initiative: Employs students enrolled in higher education programs to support various projects and activities, striving to build a Human Services network that better meets the needs of immigrants in Allegheny County.
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