Today the City of San Diego kicked off its second Employ & Empower Summer Civics Internship program on a high note, with 200 young people ages 16 to 30 joining the City’s workforce for the next three months. With their arrival, the City reached a milestone, bringing the total number hired since the program’s inception in 2022 to more than 1,000 paid interns.

“This milestone signifies our commitment to investing in our young people,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “Through this initiative, the City has created opportunities for young people to gain valuable skills and experience while earning a paycheck and learning about the career options available to them in public service.”

The Summer Civics Internship program is aimed at introducing the next generation of San Diego youth to ways they can make an impact in their communities. The eight-week program offers interns real-world, paid professional work experience alongside City employees, while teaching them the value of public service as a career option.

To date, of the 1,033 youth hired as interns through Employ & Empower:

• 79% come from a Community of Concern.
• 65% identify as low income.
• 19% of interns who completed their internships have transitioned to permanent City employment.

The Employ & Empower workforce training initiative is made possible through funding received from California Volunteers in the Office of the Governor. Employ & Empower prioritizes youth in Communities of Concern with a focus on those who are transitioning from foster care, are low-income, formerly justice system involved, or have engaged with mental health or substance abuse systems.

“The partnership between the City of San Diego and the state’s #CaliforniansForAll Youth Jobs Corps gives young people an opportunity to benefit their community while gaining an introduction to a career in public service,” said California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday. “Programs like Employ & Empower provide workforce skills, career pathways and experience ultimately benefiting society as a whole.”

The Employ & Empower program is open to California youth between the ages of 16 and 30 who are enrolled in an academic or training program. Participants can receive transit passes, professional clothing gift cards and technology resources if needed.

For more information, visit sandiego.gov/employ-empower.