May 21, 2009

 

COMPANIES CAN SPONSOR INTERNS FOR FREE THIS SUMMER
Metro Atlanta Chamber and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin
Are Calling On Metro Atlanta Companies
to Provide Summer Internships

Companies can sponsor interns free of charge this summer through the Mayor’s Youth Program. “This internship program is designed to give students the opportunity to develop business skills and apply their knowledge in a real world environment as they work to achieve their dreams -- and this year the city has a grant to pay their salaries,” said Mayor Franklin. “Through our strong partnership with the Metro Atlanta Chamber and the business community, we have had a great few years, and this year companies can sponsor an intern at no cost to the company.”

In its fourth year, the Mayor’s Youth Program is organized by Mayor Franklin and the Atlanta Workforce Development Agency. The program encourages Atlanta area businesses to hire high school seniors who are planning to attend college to serve as interns during the summer before entering college.

The Metro Atlanta Chamber and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin are calling on metro Atlanta companies to provide summer internships for graduating seniors of Atlanta Public Schools. Internships run from June 1 through July 24.

This program exposes Atlanta Public Schools’ graduates to various professions and industries and gives graduates hands-on experience in professional business environments. The Metro Atlanta Chamber has been involved with public schools for decades through the Atlanta Partners for Education, a joint venture of the Metro Atlanta Chamber and Atlanta Public Schools.

“Businesses offering summer internships to Atlanta's youth are providing students with an opportunity to grow and gain experience in an array of industries,” said Tom Hough, area managing partner for Ernst & Young LLP and chair of the Chamber’s Atlanta Public Schools Education Committee. “And as a result, students will be better prepared for the next phase in their lives -- whether it is the workforce, a community or a four-year college.”

“At Atlanta Public Schools, we can always rely on the business community to embrace our students,” said Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Beverly L. Hall. “Offering internships is another example of the community’s meaningful commitment to education and to the overall strength of our city.”

To find out how you can sponsor Mayor's Youth Program interns this summer, contact Na’Imah McMillan, program supervisor for Atlanta Workforce Development, at 404-230-1190 or e-mail nmcmillan@atlantaga.gov or mayorsyouthprogram@gmail.com.