FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 19, 2025
Hartford, CT – Capital Workforce Partners (CWP) is excited to announce that registration for the Summer Youth Employment & Learning Program (SYELP) is officially open as of Wednesday, March 19, 2025. This highly anticipated program provides Connecticut youth, ages 14-24, in the North Central Region with invaluable career exploration opportunities and paid work experience each summer.
SYELP participants gain exposure to career pathways, develop essential workplace skills, and engage in learning experiences that foster social, civic, and leadership growth. Through structured project- and work-based opportunities, Connecticut’s youth are better equipped to enter the workforce and build meaningful careers.
However, while the program has seen overwhelming success, demand continues to outpace available funding. Last year, CWP received over 4,000 applications, yet only one out of three applicants was able to participate due to funding limitations. Identifying the need for increased investment in youth employment programs is greater than ever.
Community leaders and workforce development professionals have urged the Connecticut General Assembly to sustain and expand state funding for youth employment programs. Previously, state funding for these initiatives was supplemented with an additional $5 million, doubling the annual budget to $10 million. With the change in funding, professionals, including Alex Johnson, President & CEO of Capital Workforce Partners, emphasize the importance of maintaining—and increasing—state funding to support Connecticut’s youth.
“We heard from young people about the difference that these programs make in their lives,” said Johnson. “For many, this is their first work experience, providing them with crucial work readiness and career preparation skills. Scaling back funding now not only diminishes valuable opportunities for our youth but also jeopardizes our state’s future workforce. Reducing funding would mean fewer opportunities for youth to gain these life-changing experiences.”
“The future of our state is in the hands of our youth,” Mayor Arunan Arulampalam, Mayor of the City of Hartford, states. “By prioritizing this critical funding, we are investing in a generation that will drive Connecticut’s economic and social progress for years to come.”
The recently published Young People First report by the 119K Commission recommends increasing the budget for Connecticut Youth Employment Programs to ensure all interested youth can participate without facing waitlists. Unfortunately, the current budget proposals reflect a 50% decrease from the previous year, which would leave even more young people without access to critical job readiness training and employability skills. Rather than reducing funding, the state should authorize $10 million to maintain current levels of service but should further consider authorizing the $25 million to fully support Connecticut’s youth and remove barriers to participation.
As registration for SYELP opens, Capital Workforce Partners remains committed to identifying increased support to ensure that more young people can benefit from these transformative experiences. CWP urges policymakers to prioritize youth workforce development by allocating the necessary funding to meet demand and provide equitable access to employment opportunities.
For more information on the Summer Youth Employment & Learning Program and to register, please visit CWP’s website.
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Media Contact:
Jim Boucher
Chief Strategy Officer
Phone: 860-593-0257
Email: [email protected]