The City of Oakland’s Workforce Development Board and its partners are working to ensure Oakland youth have opportunities for meaningful paid work experience through the summer youth employment program.
Are you an Oakland youth 16 to 21 looking for a summer job? Visit our youth services page.
Businesses and organizations can participate in three ways:
- Directly hire a young person this summer
- Donate to support the placement of a young person through the summer youth employment program
- Host a young person at your worksite (youth wages and program costs sponsored by The City of Oakland)
Our network of community-based nonprofit organizations that operate the program can pre-screen applicants to match their skills to your talent needs. Youth receive job-readiness training and support throughout the program.
Be a Champion for Oakland’s Youth & Business Community! Use this form to indicate your interest. Once you submit the form, one of our nonprofit partners will follow up with you regarding next steps.
The Oakland Workforce Development Board (OWDB) Summer Youth Employment Program provides Oakland youth, ages 16-21, opportunities to earn money, gain meaningful work experience and improve their job-readiness skills. The OWDB contracts with local youth-serving organizations to:
- Recruit and enroll youth in the program
- Facilitate job-readiness training
- Identify businesses and organizations to serve as work sites for youth
- Act as the employer-of-record/fiscal sponsor for youth whose wages are subsidized through the program
The program is open to Oakland youth ages 16 - 21 and prioritizes serving Black, Latinx, Native American, and Pacific Islander youth residing in East Oakland, Fruitvale, and West Oakland who have no or limited previous work experience and are not currently attending a traditional school program or working.
Need more information? Email us OWDB@oaklandca.gov