News & Activity

LOS ANGELES—Mayor Eric Garcetti today attended the largest youth job fair in Los Angeles history, where he announced a new goal to hire 15,000 young people for year-round employment in 2016. The goal more than triples the number of youth jobs that were coordinated by City Hall when he entered office.

The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative aims to find 100,000 jobs for young people by 2018. A prime example of the power of expanded hiring partnerships, today’s job fair will be attended by more than 6,000 young people — who will interview with private sector employers, fill out job applications, build compelling resumes, register for community college, and hone their networking skills.

At the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative Hiring Fair, hundreds of young people are expected to be offered jobs on the spot. The Mayor’s Workforce Development team will connect every young person who does not leave with a job to soft skill training and subsidized employment opportunities.

“This is what our city’s future workforce looks like — smart, ambitious, and ready to chase big dreams,” said Mayor Garcetti. “And today, we take another big step toward realizing a vision that we all share: a Los Angeles where every young person who wants to work has the opportunity to work now. I want to harness that spirit by connecting 15,000 young people to jobs this year through my HIRE L.A.’s Youth program. We couldn’t do it without our private sector partners, who join us in recognizing the untapped potential of countless young people who are eager to get a jumpstart on their future.”

Since 2013, Mayor Garcetti’s HIRE L.A.’s Youth program has placed more than 28,000 young people in summer jobs.

HIRE L.A.’s Youth is a key component of the Youth Workforce Development System in the City and County of Los Angeles, and a signature element of Mayor Garcetti’s agenda to strengthen L.A.’s economy. The program provides career exploration opportunities to low-income youth between the ages of 14 and 24 — and this year, specific opportunities are targeted to foster youth, young people from families receiving CalWORKs, as well as youth on probation, youth receiving General Relief, and homeless youth.

In 2015, Mayor Garcetti signed Executive Directive No. 9, which instructs all City departments to support the HIRE L.A.’s Youth program — including the Mayor’s Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD), the Housing Authority for the City of Los Angeles, the Department of Recreation and Parks, and the Los Angeles Public Library.

The positive impact of youth employment is well documented. A labor market study commissioned by the Brookings Institute revealed that high school students who work 20 hours per week have higher levels of future economic attainment — earning approximately 20 percent more annually, and receiving 10 percent higher hourly wages than those who do not work. For young adults ages 20-24, those who worked at least 13 weeks in the previous year had a 30 percent higher chance of employment than those without any work experience.

“This serves as a powerful reminder that a great first job can open up a world of opportunities for a young person,” said Howard Schultz, Chairman and CEO of Starbucks and co-founder of the Schultz Family Foundation. Starbucks organized the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative Hiring Fair.  “With nearly six million young Americans out of work and not in school, we need the leadership, creativity and courage of the private sector, working with civic, elected and community leaders, to create meaningful lifelong opportunities for all. I truly believe that these young men and women who are with us here in Los Angeles today are not the biggest challenge facing our economy — they are our greatest opportunity.”

The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative has also hosted job fairs in Chicago and Phoenix, which collectively attracted more than 6,000 youth and generated more than 1,300 immediate job offers, launching a national effort to hire at least 100,000 Opportunity Youth nationwide by 2018.

The Fair was generously supported by the Arizona Foundation, California Endowment, Dominos, FedEx, HMS Host, JPMorgan Chase Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Macy’s, the Prudential Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, Schultz Family Foundation, Starbucks, Starbucks Foundation, Taco Bell, Target, T-Mobile, Walmart Foundation, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Learn more and register for free at www.100kOpportunities.org/la.

About the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative
Since launching in July 2015, the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative has grown to more than 30 leading U.S. companies, including Alaska Airlines, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Cintas, CVS Health, Delaware North, Dominos, FedEx, Hilton Worldwide, HMSHost, Hyatt, JCPenney, JPMorgan Chase, Lyft, Macy’s, Mars, Microsoft, Nordstrom, Papa John’s, Pizza Hut, Porch.com, Potbelly Sandwich Shop, Prudential Financial, Red Robin, Republic Services, Sprinkles, Starbucks, Sweetgreen, Taco Bell, Target, Teavana, T-Mobile, TOMS, VILLA, Walgreens, and Walmart.