For the Summer
Chicago has summer job opportunities for teenagers. With the summer right around the corner. Many teenagers are looking for part-time jobs. Fortunately, the City has many great and well-paid opportunities for its teenagers. Not to mention, some of these jobs are great opportunities to learn and experience what a real job will be like. Additionally, these organizations offer part-time jobs all yet long. These are just three of many organizations that hire teenagers.
One Summer Chicago
What is One Summer? This organization provides summer job opportunities to teens ages 14-24, and year-round jobs as well. This organization is run by the government, making sure the youth has working opportunities. It’s a large organization that partners with other organizations as well, ex-Afterschool Matters. Within the last year, they had 20.5K opportunities for 40K students that applied. To apply visit their home page: www.onesummerchicago.org.
Afterschool Matters
Afterschool Matters’ goal is to allow teens to explore job options and career-related jobs, and refine their skills, all while getting paid. ASM is now accepting applications for their summer programs that will run from June 26th to August 4, 2023. They are offering in-person jobs, having locations in the South, Central, and North sides of the city.
This year they are doing something different! Fourteen to 15-year-old teenagers are able to choose from a pre-apprenticeship program or an apprenticeship program. However, 16-year-olds and up are able to choose an advanced apprenticeship program or an internship program that pays $15.40 an hour.
Their Programs cover the following fields:
- Arts (Culinary, Painting, Dancing, Vocal, Photography, etc.)
- Communications and Leadership (Journalism, marketing, social media, community organizing, etc.)
- Sports (Health and Wellness, martial arts, lifeguarding, etc.)
- STEM (architecture, environmental science, computer programming, etc.)
Courtesy of Susanne Nilsson (Flickr CC0)
Those are the main fields and jobs they offer but do not include all. To apply visit One Summer Chicago’s website and the application starts there.
Chicago Park District
At last, a very well-known place to hire teens is the Park Districts of the City. Their intent in hiring teens is to improve life in the city.
The Park District offers thousands of programs and events all across the city. They have a total of 614 parks, 6,500 summer employees, and a $524.4 million budget. Most if not all of their job openings are available for 16-year-olds and up.
Some of the Jobs they highly recommend and are hiring for are the following:
- Seasonal Lifeguards (Requires getting red cross certification, and passing the seasonal test), this job will consist of lifeguarding either a pool (indoor or outdoor) or one of Chicago’s beaches (along with other lifeguards). See chicagoparkdistrict.com/lifeguard for additional information about deadlines and the process to become a lifeguard.
- Junior Laborers (No Previous Experiences required), these jobs will teach teens the skills of gardening, mowing, cutting grass, taking care of soccer fields, etc. However, applications are due April 17.)
- Recreational Leader (Requires to be in Highschool or have a GED Certificate, have the ability to work with children 3 years old and up), this job consists of joining in activities with kids, swimming with them in some cases, taking care of them, giving the kids instructions, leading them. Additionally, the application is due April 30.
All people applying are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, due to a large amount of exposure people will be having at their job. All Park District Jobs’ hourly pay is $15.70, with the exception of lifeguards that get paid $16.19 an hour.
More Opportunities
Lastly, from these three organizations, there are more opportunities for teens, some include:
- Chicago Public Schools.
- Forest Reserves.
- Chicago Public Library.
- CTA.
- Lincoln Park Zoo.
- Chicago Harbors.
Chicago welcomes all teens to apply. There are plenty of opportunities for everyone to work this summer.
Written by Adriana Castelan
Sources:
After School Matters: Programs
One Summer Chicago: Connecting Youth to a Successful Future with a Summer Job
Chicago Park District: Your Perfect Summer Job
Featured Image Courtesy of Jonathan Flickr page- Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Susanne Nilsson Flickr page- Creative Commons License
