The Youth in our community are important to the City of Austin. Listed below are Youth Employment and Program Opportunities.
Animal Services Office Volunteer Program
This program offers volunteer opportunities year round for youth starting at 13 years of age. Guardians or parents must volunteer with youth between the ages of 13-15 years of age.
Volunteer opportunities include dog walking, basic cat care and socialization, customer assistance, clerical tasks and special events and outreach in the community such as offsite adoptions and community Rabies Clinics. Interested youth must complete a Volunteer Application and Criminal Background Investigation NAD form. Once the CBI is approved, youth attend a volunteer orientation session which are held twice monthly and can then begin their volunteer service.
College Internship Program
The College Readiness Program is a 12 week engagement (May – September) developed for college Junior, Senior or Graduate students. The students who are majoring in Business or Engineering are the focused candidates for the program. Last year 25 interns were hired for the 12 week period. Any questions please contact: Austin Energy Human Resources at 512-322-6523.
School Outreach
Austin Energy has a number of activities designed to educate kids on electricity. See more information on School Outreach.
Science Festival
Austin Energy also hosts and sponsors the Austin Energy Regional Science Festival.
APD Explorers
The Austin Police Explorer Program is intended to show youth between the age of 14 and 20 and at a 9th grade level or higher the many career opportunities available in law enforcement.
See more information on the APD Explorer Program.
Austin Resource Recovery is committed to achieving Zero Waste by educating Austin’s youth to create the next Generation Zero! Austin Resource Recovery, in partnership with Keep Austin Beautiful, provides presentations, activity kits, youth service projects and field trips for students in grades K through 12. See more information on Generation Zero.
See more information on how Austin Water’s Education and Outreach
Budget Office Internships
The Budget Office offers one to two internships per year. Responsibilities include special projects such as researching best practices and citizen engagement, as well as assisting with the development of the operating and the capital budget. The term may be full-time for 10 weeks (June – August) or part-time for 20 weeks (June – December). Graduate students seeking degrees in public administration are preferred; however, undergraduates and students of related fields are also considered. The 2013 internship positions are filled.
City/County Summer Youth Employment
The Work-Based Learning/Summer Youth Employment Program (WBL/SYEP) is for youth between the ages of 14 to 17 (14 to 22 for youth with disabilities) (participants must be 14 years of age no later than April 1, 2016) who reside in the City of Austin and/or Travis County, and attend school within that same area. Youth are recruited and referred through a number of avenues such as faith-based, non-profit, and community-based organizations. Each participant is provided with a broad range of projects in work settings within the public sector (City of Austin and Travis County), non-profit organizations, and private businesses.
The program provides an opportunity for young people to develop competence and confidence as well as workplace skills in a “real-world” work environment. Those chosen for the program will be exposed to career awareness and exploration while developing their own career paths. Additionally, youth will interact with positive, successful adult role models who provide guidance in setting and achieving goals.
A key prerequisite for participation with WBL/SYEP includes Job Readiness Training and involves the completion of a job application, understanding workplace expectations, and learning how to adapt in a work environment. The opportunity to work an average of 96 hours in one of two 5-week sessions during the summer (while earning minimum wage) will be offered to participants.
Parents can apply for their children for enrollment into the program as well as register the youth for Job Readiness Training beginning January 2, 2016 by calling 512‑854‑4590. The program fills up quickly and usually ends registration by late January to early February for the summer program. All Job Readiness Training should be completed by the end of Spring Break.
Austin Youth Development Program:
Note: This is a year round program
The Austin Youth Development (AYD) Program is primarily a vehicle to provide youth development services around personal development and employability skills for youth ages 17-22 years old, who may have had limited opportunities and may be at-risk of not completing high school. The Program’s design is to include educational and developmental activities within the year-long City work experience. When employed, youth work between 30-40 hours per week and participate in required education programs, including GED or certification programs, tutoring, educational career guidance, graffiti removal, and lawn maintenance programs.
Community Youth Development Program:
Note: This is a year-round program only in the 78744 Community
The 78744 Community Youth Development Program (CYD) is a state-funded program that provides an array of juvenile delinquency prevention services to support families and enhance the positive development of youth in the 78744 zip code. The services seek to reduce referrals to juvenile probation and increase protective factors in participating youth. Youth and adult residents of the 78744 zip code make up the 78744 Community Collaborative Committee (CCC). They play the primary role in assessing needs, receiving program updates, and advising CYD staff on how to implement programs. To join the CCC, please complete this application. Through an annual Community Strengths and Needs Assessment survey, the CCC is informed of its top five funding priorities. Last year’s survey can be seen here.
Youth Advisory Committee/Youth Leadership Development
Note: This is a year round program only in the 78744 Community
The Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) is a required program service of the CYD program. The program is comprised of youth between the ages of 13-17 who live or attend school in the 78744 area only. These teens serve as the “youth voice” of the 78744 community and work with the 78744 Community Collaborative Committee (CCC) to establish the vision of the local program. At least two YAC members sit on the CCC. The YAC provides community outreach and awareness to publicize program services and collect feedback about the impact of services on juvenile delinquency prevention. YAC youth also receive Youth Leadership Development (YLD) services in addition to participating in YAC. YLD helps the youth develop leadership skills, including conflict resolution, goal setting, and empowerment. The two program services work in partnership to ensure youth provide input that helps shape the local CYD program, while also preparing them to meet the challenges of adolescence through structured, progressive activities and experiences.
Austin Healthy Adolescent AHA Initiative:
Note: This is program works with Youth-Services Providers
The Austin Healthy Adolescent (AHA!) Initiative aims to improve the overall health and well-being of adolescent’s ages 10-18 years by aligning and improving community resources and building upon community strengths. This initiative is focused on improving collaboration, strengthening systems of services for adolescents and promoting engagement of adolescents in youth programming and community efforts. The AHA! Initiative envisions a future where youth are active participants in decision-making and fully engaged in improving their own communities!
River City Youth Summer of Safety (HHSD Contracts with River City Youth Foundation)
Summer of Safety is a summertime delinquency prevention program for at-risk youth between the ages of 8 and 17 residing in the far south 78744 area. This summer camp provides a safe, structured environment for youth which includes therapeutic, recreational, nutritional, technological, educational, and family support services. To learn more visit this website.
Emerging Leaders Summer Internship Program
Bank of America’s Summer Youth Employment Initiative helps meet a critical need to fill funding gaps with the goal of strengthening the communities we serve. The organizations will provides productive summer engagement and learning opportunities for at-risk teens, including a work experience that can set them on a course towards lifetime economic self-sufficiency. The students participating are rising sophomores, juniors and seniors. The employment will be for 6 weeks working for 20 hours a week. This high school internship program takes place June – July of each year, with applications opening towards the end of January.”
Austin Corps High School Senior Civic Engineer Program
This program provides students at Akins, Crockett, and Travis high schools enrolled in this class to learn more about City departments and working for the City. During the fall semester students participate in presentations conducted by various City departments that focus on the functions and responsibilities of that department. During the spring semester the interns are placed in various departments based on their future career interests. This program is only open to students enrolled in senior Government class at Akins, Crockett, or Travis High Schools in AISD. This is an unpaid internship through one of the three schools.
ACC Internship
In partnership with Austin Community College (ACC) Center for Public Policy and Political Studies (CPPPS)
The mission of CPPPS is to enable and empower ACC students to gain knowledge and experience of, and to actively participate in varied political and policy processes that govern our city, our state and our nation. CPPPS enables students to develop a broad range of analytical and decision-making skills that they will use to understand issues of public concern. With these skills, students can pursue civic leadership and professional positions at public, non-profit, and private organizations. The City of Austin assist students enrolled in CPPPS to obtain internships with the City of Austin for the fall and spring semesters. The City interviews up to ten and places up to eight interns in City Departments each fall and spring semester. The interns work twenty hours per week for sixteen weeks. This is a paid internship.
Get Ready! Summer Internship Program
Get Ready! is a summer internship program that offers internship opportunities to 70 perspective youth who are rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors in high school. The program takes place in June and July of each summer.. Each intern will work 20 hours a week at a wage of $8.00 an hour. Sites will be occupational areas that contain one of the STEAM areas of focus.
This internship will allow youth to work in a professional work environment, which will allow them to gain work ethic, work experience, and learn more about a STEAM centered career field. The goal of the program is increase knowledge, engagement, and interest in fields that fall under the STEAM acronym as well as provide youth with a meaningful summer work experience.
Career Fest
The Youth Career Fest is a career exploration event for Austin- area high school students hosted by the Austin Youth Council. In 2014, the Austin Youth Council decided they wanted to focus their efforts on youth unemployment and career exploration so the Youth Career Fest was created. Last year, we had over 2,000 people present and over 100 companies/organizations showcasing various career opportunities.
The 4th Annual Youth Career Fest will be held at the Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Road, Austin, Texas, 78704 on Tuesday, January 31, 2017, from 8:30am-12:30pm. We are expecting 100+ booths that represent different businesses, companies, and organizations in Austin as well as over 1,500 high school students. The mission of this event is to allow Austin-area high school students an opportunity to interact with people who are already working in the careers they may be interested in pursuing as well as ensure Austin-area high school students are provided with job opportunities and career choices.
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Aviation & Austin Convention Center Department Summer Internship Program
This is a pilot program that will allow high school students to gain work ethic, work experience, and learn more about the Aviation Department and the Austin Convention Center Department. The City of Austin Youth & Family Services/Youth Initiatives Office (YFS/YI) will create and implement the pilot program for the Aviation Department and Austin Convention Center Department. The YFS/YI office will partner with Austin Interfaith and 4 AISD high schools to recruit and train youth interested in working with these departments. Selected students will receive workforce training provided by Austin Interfaith during the school year, complete an application, participate in interviews, participate in training provided by the YFS/YI office and be placed in various divisions this summer within the Aviation Department and the Austin Convention Center Department. This program engages 40 youth in various cohorts through a 5-6 week period throughout the summer. This internship will allow students to get a better understanding of the inner workings of these City of Austin departments as well as gain crucial work experience.
The Austin Public Library currently accepts youth volunteers for three program seasons-Fall, Spring, and Summer. Our Youth Volunteer Programs are unpaid assignments and are designed for youth ages 13-17. The programs are designed to gain knowledge and skills used in the professional world of public services in libraries. Duties vary based on program season and may include: assisting with programs, program preparation, shelving books and other materials, providing general customer service and assisting with special projects. Youth Volunteer Applications are accepted three times per year--July for the Fall season, November for the Spring season, and March for the summer season. For more information, please check out our website at http://library.austintexas.gov/volunteer or contact APL.Volunteers@austintexas.gov
The City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department has several youth employment opportunities. To apply and for full descriptions, view the job openings.
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
College Internship Program
The Public Works Department has internship opportunities in the following areas: Engineering, Architecture, Finance, Human Resources, Geographic Information Systems, and Urban Trails. Internships will be posted on http://www.austincityjobs.org as they become available. For additional information, please contact Mike Pegorin.
Summer Youth Employment
The Public Works Department is a volunteer partner with American Youth Works (AYW). The American Youth Work volunteers will work directly with our Street & Bridge program; this program will provide the volunteer youth a real life work experience through crew rotations through the City of Austin and are able to explore ongoing career progression efforts. Interns are able to start twice a year in January and June; the program coincides with regular end of semester schedule and ensures all divisions can participate in recruiting opportunities. http://www.americanyouthworks.org/ The contact is Mike.Pegorin@austintexas.gov
College Internship Program
This Internship Program is a 12 week engagement (June – August) developed for college Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors or Graduate students. The students who are majoring in Environmental Science, Geological Science, Ecological Restoration, Biology, Civil Engineering and Mathematics are the candidates for the program. Last year 15 interns were hired for the 12 week period. There will be 12 interns this summer. Recruitment and selection takes place during April of each year. Contact: Nikki Fowler
Watershed Protection’s Youth Education
This program provides school outreach, field trips, curriculum and service learning opportunities to encourage informed decision making about choices that impact Austin’s water quality. See more information on the Watershed Youth Education page here.