Atlanta’s next generation of workers, leaders and creatives took center stage Monday as Mayor Andre Dickens joined employers, youth participants and community partners at the historic Fox Theatre to kick off the fifth year of the City’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP).
During the City’s annual Signing Day event, employer partners from across Metro Atlanta pledged to provide jobs, internships and workforce opportunities for Atlanta youth this summer as part of the administration’s continued investment in youth opportunity and workforce development.
“This program offers our young people structure. They’re learning real skills. They’re learning how to move in the workplace,” Mayor Dickens said during Monday’s event.
Over the last five years, nearly 20,000 young people have been connected to paid work opportunities through SYEP, including nearly 6,000 placements last summer alone — the program’s largest cohort to date.
Atlanta Businesses Step Up for Youth Opportunity
Hosted this year at the Fox Theatre’s Marquee Club, the event brought together City leaders, current and former SYEP participants, employer partners and workforce advocates focused on helping young Atlantans gain meaningful career experience.
The Fox Theatre, which also hires SYEP participants, was recognized as one of several organizations helping expand employment opportunities for Atlanta youth.
Mayor Dickens thanked businesses and community partners for continuing to invest in Atlanta’s future workforce.
“Together we have built something that is proven, trusted and growing stronger every year,” Mayor Dickens said.
Participants also shared stories about how the program helped shape their academic and career goals, including former interns now pursuing college degrees and professional careers connected to their first SYEP experiences.
More Than a Summer Job
City leaders say the Summer Youth Employment Program is designed to help young people build workplace confidence, gain professional skills and explore long-term career pathways while supporting families across Atlanta.
The initiative aligns with the administration’s broader Year of the Youth strategy and ongoing investments in youth safety, workforce readiness and economic mobility.
The event also featured remarks from Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum, Atlanta Department of Labor and Employment Services Commissioner Theresa Austin-Gibbons, Fox Theatre CEO Allan C. Vella and community partners supporting youth workforce development efforts across the city.
Mayor Dickens said initiatives like SYEP are part of the City’s larger effort to make Atlanta “the best place in the nation to raise a child.”
Why It Matters
Programs like SYEP help connect Atlanta youth to real-world experience while helping employers invest directly in the city’s future workforce.
City leaders say those opportunities can create long-term impacts for young people, families and neighborhoods across Atlanta.
