PITTSBURGH, PA — Pittsburgh is moving to extend its youth employment pipeline beyond the summer, with Mayor Corey O’Connor announcing a $1 million city contribution toward a year-round Learn & Earn pilot program. The funding plan, drawn from the city’s Stop the Violence Trust Fund, is being submitted to City Council for approval.
The city said the expanded model would build on the summer Learn & Earn program by adding paid work experiences, career readiness training, mentorship, workforce development and financial literacy support during the school year. Partner4Work is expected to manage the pilot, which city officials described as a way to turn short-term job experience into longer-term opportunity.
Under the proposal, the program would serve youth and young adults through two tracks. Participants ages 16 and 17 would gain paid school-year work experience while developing communication, professionalism, time management and teamwork skills. Young adults ages 18 to 23 would be connected to paid placements that align with their training, credentials or career goals.
The pilot is planned around two eight-week sessions, one in the fall and one in the spring. City materials say the fall session would run from mid-September to mid-November, while the spring session would run from mid-February to mid-April so participants could still apply for the summer Learn & Earn cycle that begins in late June.
The city’s contribution is intended to match a separate donation, bringing the total investment for the pilot to $2 million. Officials said business partners will host participants during the program cycle and help create pathways to employment for young people who complete the experience.
The Pittsburgh Times
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Pittsburgh, PA
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