Workers in today’s economy are in high demand, and younger workers are no exception. Traditional teen employers – restaurants, retail, and grocery stores – are working hard to recruit young people to fill open jobs. But some young people have a chance to go beyond the typical teen job market and kick start their careers with Step Up.
The City of Minneapolis Step Up program offers summer internships for youth ages 14 to 21 to build skills, earn money, and explore careers. The program has offered more than 30,000 internships since 2003 and is celebrating its 20th year.
Step Up internships open doors to employers who may not typically hire teens and offers experiences in the corporate sector, government, and nonprofit organizations. Interns ages 14 and 15 are matched with jobs that offer training, support, and work that is geared toward younger workers. Interns ages 16 to 21 build professional skills and test drive careers by working with private sector or government employers.
“For many young people, an internship with Step Up can be a game-changer,” says Step Up Director Tammy Dickinson. “The experience builds confidence and helps them to connect with professionals who become part of their network and can open doors to new experiences for years to come.”
The program primarily serves Minneapolis youth from low-income families who sometimes lack access to internships or professional opportunities. Dickinson says the goal is to help our youngest and most disadvantaged workers form connections and gain the experience they can use to plan and prepare for future careers.
In a typical year, more than 3,000 youth apply for the program. Every eligible student who applies is invited to work readiness training to prepare them for their summer experience. All youth who complete training will be offered a paid experience – whether in a paid internship or a new online paid career exploration training that was developed to better serve young people during the pandemic.
Step Up is operated by the City of Minneapolis in partnership with AchieveMpls, Project for Pride in Living, and the Minneapolis CareerForce Centers. Each year, more than 80 employer partners hire and host Step Up interns.
The benefits for teens are pretty obvious: they get paid for doing a job that could help them one day land a position in a chosen career. But the program benefits employers, too, because they are matched with young people who are motivated to succeed. And because a majority of them are people of color, the program helps employers diversify the workplace, bringing in new perspectives and skills. Step Up offers a new strategy for employers to reach younger workers and build their talent pipeline. Employers can learn about hiring a Step Up intern or view the Step Up employer video.
“The youth are so talented, have unique perspectives, and many are bilingual — imagine what that can bring to your workforce,” Dickinson says. The youth application and a Step Up youth video is available on the website; the application deadline is February 18, 2022.
