Greater Wichita YMCA Now Accepting 2021 Job Prep Applications

Wichita, Kansas — Equipping youth with valuable life skills is an important way the Greater Wichita YMCA is building a stronger Wichita community. Today, the Y announced the application deadline for its 2021 Job Prep program, offered free to students ages 15-17. Funded by the Y’s Strong Communities Campaign and sponsored by Koch Industries, Job Prep creates work-ready teens through training, development, certifications in the classroom and time/experience in the workplace. Applications are being accepted through January 25 and can be found at ymcawichita.org/programs/more-explore/job-prep. Classes meet for two hours in the evening once a week for 12 weeks. They begin the week of February 8.

“Job Prep is nothing less than transformational for the teens who participate,” said Tyrone Baker, who heads the initiative as the Y’s Community Development Senior Program Director. “The determination and effort shown by participants put them on the path to not only receive summer jobs, but to keep employment long term.” 

The community partnership with Koch Industries has grown over the years, and it has been essential to the program’s success.

“We’re pleased to support the Job Prep program as it empowers youth to develop their unique talents into valued skills that not only create value for the student, but also strengthen our community,” said Laura Hands, director of community affairs for Koch Industries.

As part of the Job Prep curriculum, participants learn to:

• Find and review job postings;
• Prepare and submit an application;
• Get ready for and participate in a job interview;
• Dress for success;
• Work well with others in any situation;
• Manage their money and prepare for the future— at work and in life;
• First aid and CPR skills.

At the completion of the program, teens who have passed through each stage will, in front of family and friends, be given a certificate of completion at a graduation ceremony. 

Twenty-eight-year-old Eric Sellers is currently a tax software developer at Wolters Kluwer and the newest member of the Y’s Community Development Board of Directors. The WSU graduate with a bachelor’s in finance and master’s in economics participated in Job Prep when he was 16. To this day, he relies on the toolset he gained from the program that stresses the basic principles that he believes everyone should live by in the corporate world. He credits Job Prep for getting him where he is today. 

His advice to local teens is to utilize this priceless opportunity and get involved. 

“Anyone can benefit from Job Prep, because it’s not about where you come from, your family, money or anything like that,” Eric said. “If you want to do something with your life and are willing to get to know people from different backgrounds and work together to bring different things to the table, you can achieve so much, and that is what Job Prep is all about. When you invest in yourself, nothing can stop you.”

Additional details are available by contacting Job Prep Coordinator Mark Harmon at mark.harmon@ymcawichita.org or 316-776-8185.