Work Skills Today for a Better Tomorrow
The Greater Wichita YMCA's FREE JOB PREP PROGRAM, funded by the Strong Communities Campaign, gets teens ready for work with training, development, and certifications in the classroom and time and experience in the workplace. Participants in the program will learn to:
- Find and review job postings, and prepare and submit an application
- Tips and skills on how to stand out during the interview process
- Dress for success and work well with others in any situation
- Manage their money and prepare for the future - at work and in life
- First Aid and CPR certification at no cost
Job Prep classes meet for two hours in the evening once a week starting the week of February 7. Space is limited. Turn in your application before January 28.
At the completion of each the program, teens who have successfully passed each stage will, in front of family and friends, be given a certificate of completion at a graduation ceremony. All teens who successfully graduate will be first in line for interviews with YMCA branches and YMCA community partners such as the Sedgwick County Zoo, M & M Insurance, OJ Watson Park, Exploration Place and many more, who are specifically looking to hire Job Prep Graduates for summer 2022. Graduates can work up to 25 hours/week for 10 weeks during the summer.
In addition to JOB PREP classes being offered at Y branches, JOB PREP has expanded into six Wichita Public Schools high school locations (North, South, West, Southeast, Heights and Imagine Academy) for after-school classes.
Teens turning 15 before June 1st can apply at the YMCA class locations and teens turning 16 before June 1st can apply to all YMCA class locations and their school location.
2022 Job Prep Applications
To apply for class, please schedule a short enrollment meeting before Friday, January 28 by calling Nicole Hernandez at 316-776-8179 or email “Job Prep Interest” to nicole.hernandez@ymcawichita.org.
Space is limited per location.
Sponsor a Job Prep Student
For some teens, a job can mean food on the family table, the possibility of college or a chance to make positive choices. The Y’s free job training program for ages 15-17 teaches teens the skills to secure and maintain a job. The experience inspires students to set and reach goals that have a life-long impact. Sponsor a student for the year for $2,500.