Exploring Summer Youth Employment Programs: Increasing Access through Career Pathways

Currently, state leaders look to build more robust work-based learning (WBL) programs, employers work to fill vacancies while developing talent pipeline strategies, and learners strive to understand their career plan and increase their earning potential. At the same time, opportunities are available to better connect summer employment to career pathways and center equity. WBL activities offer youth the opportunity to work with employers, gain valuable work experience, and build durable skills, but such opportunities are often tied to the academic year. Summer youth employment programs (SYEPs) are widely offered across the nation in local communities, and some are available statewide. Yet few are centered around adding equitable educational benefits to all learners who participate. This Advance CTE (Career Technical Education) report provides actionable recommendations for state-led support in the intentional alignment of SYEP with career pathways and the work-based learning continuum, including through Career Technical Education.