Berkeley College is welcoming hundreds of high school students to campus, as they develop workforce skills during the Newark Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP).
According to the Newark Youth One-Stop Career Center, which manages the initiative, SYEP seeks to enhance students’ awareness of career pathways and expand their work-related social skills through knowledge and mentorship. Nearly 300 Newark teenagers, ages 14 to 17, are participating in the program at the Berkeley College campus on Broad Street.
Citywide at other locations, the entire SYEP is serving 3,000 Newark young adults up to the age of 24, primarily from low- to moderate-income households, to help them become motivated, confident and empowered in their chosen career pathway. SYEP gives Newark young people an opportunity to earn money during the summer and, in many cases, hold their first jobs.
At Berkeley College, the participants are high-school age students who take courses in healthcare, justice studies, graphic design, business, and more – learning everything from CPR to building a business plan. More than 50 Berkeley College faculty and staff are lending their expertise in the classroom.
“As a graduate of the Newark Summer Youth Employment Program, I personally know how this initiative can open doors to growing career fields and help students chart pathways to success,” said Luis Collazo, Campus Operating Officer, Berkeley College in Newark. Collazo participated in the SYEP while he was a high school student at Essex County Vocational Technical High School.
“We are excited to have these students on campus and share the Berkeley College mission of empowering students to achieve lifelong success in dynamic careers,” Collazo said.
About Berkeley College
Berkeley College, founded in 1931, is a career-focused institution accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that offers students master’s, bachelor’s, and associate degree and certificate programs in more than 20 career fields. The college also offers continuing education programs to enhance career credentials.
