Summer Jobs 253 Program Celebrates Third Successful Year

The Summer Jobs 253 Program, which places Tacoma youth into summer internships, has finished its third year with 135 students completing the program with the help of 49 area employers.

The program has continued to grow and this year accepted and placed 145 of Tacoma’s incoming high school juniors and seniors, nearly three times the participation from the pilot program in 2013, which accepted 50 students.

In addition to gaining on the job work experience, students in the program can also earn up to two high school credits, keeping them on track for on-time graduation. Students in the program work up to 96 hours for an employer as well as attending an additional 24 hours of classroom time to learn resume writing, interviewing, and financial literacy. Seventy-four students signed up for a “free for life” bank account offered by program partner Wells Fargo.

The program is funded by the City of Tacoma, and through corporate donors and a small participation fee from participating employers.

This year the program was sponsored by:

• State Farm
• General Plastics Manufacturing Company
• Toray Composites America
• U.S. Oil & Refining Company
• The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation
• United Way of Pierce County

The City and its program partners, the REACH Center, Tacoma Public Schools and WorkForce Central, are beginning to plan for the 2016 program. People who are interested in becoming a program patron please contact Christopher Wright at (253)591-5075 or email cwright@cityoftacoma.org. If you are interested in hosting a student for employment contact Sarah Atchison, at satchison@reachtacoma.org or go online to summerjobs253.com to submit an application or get more information about the program.