Youth

PA CareerLink^® of Lancaster County young adult programs assist our youth in navigating the employment landscape.

Get started with the young adult program

Youth Ages 16 - 24

The young adult programs at PA CareerLink^{^®} of Lancaster County prepare a new generation of workers for stable, meaningful careers through education and career services and supportive case management. The Young Adult Program serves 16 to 24 year-olds out-of-school residents of Lancaster County.

Our Summer Youth Employment Program is for 16 to 24 year-olds. Specific eligibility requirements apply for each program.

To get started with the Young Adult Program, please attend a Welcome Orientation.

Until further notice, CareerLink is closed to the public. ALL workshops and events are cancelled.

Young Adult Program

Career Services are provided free of charge to eligible young adults who have graduated high school or any type of post-secondary education and are looking for assistance in finding work or enrolling in post-secondary education.

You will develop an in-depth career plan that can contain a variety of components including job shadowing, volunteering, interning, participating in the part-time Paid Work Experience Program, college visits, interview prep, job search, and more. Assessments and standardized tests are utilized to gauge your work skills. You will also take WorkKeys^® Assessments to earn an ACT^® National Career Readiness Certificate, which certifies essential skills for the workplace.

Paid Work Experience

The Paid Work Experience (PWE) Program is available to those enrolled in either the High School Equivalency/GED or Career Services programs. Participants have a part-time, temporary assignment with a local employer in the career field of your choice. Wages are competitive within the industry and take into consideration the difficulty of the job. Wages are paid by the program. You work anywhere from 6-12 weeks with an employer and can participate in multiple PWE placements. This program allows you to build your resume, try out different career areas, job shadow with some of the area’s leading employers, and earn money while doing it.

Are you an employer who would be interested in becoming a work site for our youth? If so, please fill out the form below and a Youth Business Representative will contact you.

Employer Contact

Employer Name*
Contact Person*
Phone*
Email*
Address

Street Address

Address Line 2

City

State / Province / Region

ZIP / Postal Code

Country
Industry*

High School Equivalency / GED

High School Equivalency/GED instruction is provided free of charge to eligible young adults who are interested in pursuing employment and/or post-secondary education once you obtain your GED. Classes are held in English during daytime hours at our office and include testing fees, materials, and supplies. Those with perfect attendance receive a weekly stipend. The average length of time is taken for a participant to obtain the GED is 4-8 weeks.

While in class, you work one-on-one with your assigned case manager, who assists you in creating and carrying out a detailed career plan.

Summer Youth Employment

Our Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) serves young adults 16-24 years old in Lancaster County.

SYEP participants work 20-30 hours per week are paid an hourly wage by the program. Local employers offer positions spanning a variety occupations: healthcare, manufacturing, office work, outdoor maintenance, working with children, retail, etc.

To download an application for the Summer Youth Employment Program, please click here.