Summer Youth Employment and Learning Program (SYELP)

The Summer Youth Employment and Learning Program (SYELP) is a youth employment program, connecting Connecticut youth living in the North Central Region between the ages of 14 and 24 with career exploration opportunities and paid work experience each summer.

Participants have the opportunity to explore their interests and career pathways, develop workplace skills, and engage in learning experiences that help in developing their social, civic, and leadership skills. By participating in structured project- and work-based opportunities, Connecticut youth are better prepared for careers of the future.

Click here for more information about SYELP!

Our Tier I program is a paid stipend-based incentive for young people with little to no previous work experience. These programs offer opportunities to learn about career readiness skills and provide the opportunity to work on group projects. This experience is open to 14-15-year-olds.

Our Tier II and III programs are wage-based programs targeted towards young people with previous work or leadership experience and are open to 15–24-year-olds. These programs offer opportunities for career exploration and preparation and engage participants in hourly work-based experiences. Young people usually work about 20 hours per week. Tier II is open to 15-17-year-olds and Tier III is open to 16-24-year-olds.

Who is eligible?

Youth within the Capital Workforce Region age 14-24 are eligible for the program.

There are additional factors that determine eligibility of program participation. Please see below for further information about our providers.

Thank you to the following Participating Providers for 2023 SYELP

Blue Hills Civic Association
Boys & Girls Club
Bridge Family Center
Center for Latino Progress
Community Renewal Team
Hartford Public Library
Human Resources Agency of New Britain
Opportunities Industrialization Center of New Britain
Our Piece of the Pie
Town of Bloomfield
Town of East Hartford
Town of Manchester
Town of Vernon
Town of Wethersfield
YWCA Hartford Region

** Some providers have individual eligibility restrictions based on age and location.

FAQs

Q. What type of jobs are offered?

A. SYELP has job opportunities in various sectors. If enrolled, youth will share their interests at their intake to find an opportunity that suits them.

Q. I am having trouble submitting my application—what do I do?

A. Make sure you are using Google Chrome. Make sure you are applying with a personal NOT school email address (gmail, hotmail, etc). Submitting multiple applications will lock you out of the system—make sure you only apply once. If you are still having trouble– please submit a ticket with a callback number to syelp@capitalworkforce.org.

Q. I applied early—why wasn’t I selected?

A. While early application is encouraged, SYELP is not a first come first serve program. SYELP is an eligibility-based program with a focus on “priority of service” populations. There are many factors that determine eligibility. Unfortunately, we have limited program funding and receive over double the amount of applications compared to slots available every year. If not selected for SYELP, please refer to 211.org for summer opportunities for youth.

Q. How do I get an update on the status of my application?

A. Application status updates are provided via email and can also be viewed directly on your application. Due to call volume, inquiries regarding application status updates cannot be provided. Please check your email for communication from the provider that you selected in your application and make sure you have fully completed and SUBMITTED your application.

Apply Online

SYELP 2023 Fact Sheet

SYELP 2023 Flyer

2022 Summer Youth Employment Report