This issue of Priorities: News from the Coalition was authored by Marcus Laing (Temple U.) and Victoria Maseda (Penn State), summer interns in UAC's Communications Department. |
UAC Welcomes Summer Interns
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Sharmain Matlock-Turner, UAC President, welcomes summer interns. | At an orientation last week, 16 young people (14-21) were welcomed into the Coalition family. They will be working at UAC for the next two months as part of the WorkReady Philadelphia program. The Philadelphia Youth Network (PYN) administers the WorkReady program on behalf of the city and a range of funders. UAC is the largest subcontractor for PYN and placed 500 students in summer jobs this year.
The value of a summer job significantly extends beyond the hourly wage they are paid. Participants learn a range of skills - leadership development, interpersonal communication, resume writing - that will prepare them for future endeavors in the workforce.
At the orientation, pizza, sandwiches, and cake were served while the students heard presentations from CEO, Sharmain Matlock-Turner; Youth Division Director, Farrah Samuels; and Director of Operations, Trino Boix; among others. A video on UAC's history was shown and a Quizzo competition followed, which tested the interns' knowledge of UAC history, as well as etiquette in the workplace. The winners recieved a networking lunch with Ms. Matlock-Turner. |
It's Not Too Late to Make a Difference
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Watch this important message from Sharmain Matlock-Turner, President and CEO of UAC. |
With 14,500 applicants vying for 5,550 funded jobs in the Philadelphia Summer WorkReady program, youth are at a disadvantage for obtaining work. This summer, UAC reviewed 1,009 applications for 500 available positions. But it's not too late to make a difference. Contributions are still welcome and will be set aside to support additional internships for summer 2012.
To donate go to http://www.savesummerjobs.org/
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More Than an Hourly Wage
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Dominique Scott | Dominique Scott, age 16, is one of the highly qualified students that the Coalition has chosen for its Summer WorkReady Program. This is Scott's second summer working with UAC.
"I chose to apply again because I really like the environment here. Everyone is friendly with each other," Scott said.
A normal summer day would usually consist of lounging around his house, watching TV or sleeping, implied Scott. Instead, this summer Scott is working in the Coalition's Youth Division, where he is looking to enhance his time management skills. Also, he is striving to build up his resume in hopes of attending UCLA and becoming a business entertainment lawyer. |