Summer Youth Employment in the Capital Region
Albany | Columbia | Greene | Saratoga | Schenectady | Rensselaer | Warren | Washington
Saratoga County Career Center
"Zane first participated in the Saratoga County Summer Youth Employment Program as a 14-year old. He worked at a private play gym for children with special needs. He did a great job there supporting activities and operations with the owner. When he was 15, he was placed at a restaurant and his confidence began to grow as he interacted with people and assisted in many areas (cleaning, serving, kitchen prep, etc.) In 2021, Zane was placed at the same restaurant but under new ownership. He was a completely different young man after two years and had matured exponentially. Zane engaged in his work with full confidence improving his skill set and consistently challenging himself to learn new things. The owner hired him after SYEP ended! Zane’s mother had this to say: "Having Zane involved in the youth program gave him an opportunity that he would not have had without their help. His growth as a young man has been huge. Working at a job within his community helped him to understand that everyone in this world has an important place. It gave him confidence and an understanding of civic and personal responsibility. The program is simply the best!"
Schenectady County Connects
"Ali’yanah, a soft-spoken recent high school graduate, was placed at Villa Italia Bakery for the 2021 SYEP. In the first month, she expressed nervousness about her ability to speak up and slight frustration over repetitive tasks. Through weekly meetings, Ali’yanah discussed with her job coach the importance of workplace communication. Her job coach informed her that it was positive to take initiative and ask the worksite supervisor for additional responsibilities. After coaching, Ali’yanah spoke with her supervisor and was directed to work as an assistant to several bakers instead of a single baker. She joyfully told her job coach about new assigned tasks, such as dipping biscotti into chocolate and filling the cannoli. In September, Bobby Mallozzi, the owner of Villa Italia, pulled the job coach aside. “You gave us a good one this year,” he said, smiling. “Her confidence level is up; her work level is up. She should be proud of herself and your staff should be proud of yourselves.” Villa Italia plans to hire Ali’yanah for a part-time position after the SYEP ends. She is enthusiastic for this employment opportunity. She is currently enrolled in the SUNY Schenectady culinary program and is looking forward to her future."
L.E.A.P.
"Ethan Benoit worked through SYEP at the Pember Library in Granville this summer. He was in charge of emptying the book drop box, shelving books, finding items on the request list, organizing the back room, and working on the newspaper database. The Librarians were pleased with his work. His summer evaluation stated that he was an excellent employee who finished daily tasks well with time to spare. Ethan reported in his evaluation that, “it was the best job he had ever had and would remember it the rest of his life.” When SYEP ended this year, Ethan was hired on with the Library as a part time employee. He is still in school and with his current schedule can only work an average of 8 hours a week, with hours available to him when his schedule opens up. He is thrilled to continue working at the library, and he will be continuing with his training and learning new skills as time goes on."
Warren County Employment & Training
"Desirae has participated in the Warren County Summer Youth Employment Program for the past three summers, returning to The Georgian Resort in Lake George each time. Dave Kenney, owner of The Georgian, and Amanda Felt, Director of Human Resources, are always eager to welcome Desirae back and were especially grateful to have her help this summer, especially with the hospitality industry struggling with employment. They describe her as a “super star” with a strong work ethic and friendly demeanor. Amanda noted that Desirae has really opened up this season and Desirae agrees, saying that her comfort level interacting with guests has grown throughout her time in the program. Guests of the resort have also taken notice, as many have passed along their compliments in regard to their positive interactions with Desirae. When she’s not at work, Desirae attends Warrensburg High School, where she will be starting her senior year this fall and continuing her participation on the volleyball team. Desirae sees college in her future and would ultimately like to be involved in animal rescue. She’s been saving the money she’s earned this summer in order to purchase new clothes for school, a prom dress, and a tattoo to celebrate her upcoming 18th birthday."
