The application period for the Youth@Work/Summer Youth Enrichment Program (SYEP) is now closed.  Please check back soon for regular updates on the program

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The Prince George’s County Youth@Work/Summer Youth Enrichment Program (Youth@Work/SYEP) is an award-winning, nationally-recognized program that helps young people ages 14-22 launch careers by providing them with free job readiness training and paid summer employment. Youth@Work/SYEP offers six weeks of enriching entry-level employment at governmental, nonprofit and business worksites in Prince George’s County and the greater Washington, DC area. The program is part of County Executive Angela Alsobrooks’ commitment to youth development, which will prepare and empower the county’s youth to achieve their full potential into adulthood. 

Every experience has value. No matter what the assignment is this summer, grasp it and make the most of that experience. Every experience counts. Give it your best. Be Prince George’s County Proud. All the way.

- The Honorable Angela Alsobrooks, County Executive

Youth@Work/SYEP is a collaboration between Prince George’s County Government, Prince George’s Community College, Prince George’s County Public Schools, The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Employ Prince George’s, and over 250 nonprofit and faith-based organizations, businesses, municipalities and other governmental agencies who are committed to providing a quality and enriching work experience for our youth.

SYEP Capstone Opportunities

Apprenticeship Readiness – This capstone provides career preparation to participants seeking apprenticeship, career education, and employment post-secondary pathways and access to internships and pre-apprenticeship programs where they can transition from high school into their selected post-secondary pathway on their pathway to a high wage, high demand career. Participants will complete a resume, interview, and complete three post-secondary applications for employment.  The Finishing Trades Institute of Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Vicinities is partnering with the local Building Trades Council and the Washington Area Apprenticeship and Training Directors Association (WAATDA) to provide access to the Multi-Craft Core Curriculum, a Department of Labor approved apprenticeship readiness program. Topics covered include career readiness, career exposure to the construction industry, exposure to the various trades with the construction industry, exposure to the world of Unions, exposure to Registered Apprenticeship, entry-level work-based learning projects to give participants experience to the task completed by professions in the industry, construction health and safety, blueprint reading, construction math, and financial literacy.
Audience: Ages 16 - 22

Aviation – This capstone exposes participants to a variety of career opportunities and resources in the pursuit of finding aviators of the future. Youth are provided education and training activities that offer hands-on flight simulations and engineering workshops led by aviation professionals. Youth will gain knowledge of a career in aviation from professionals working in the Federal Aviation Administration, such as air traffic controllers, pilots, drone operators, and flight instructors. Youth will learn and develop interview and resume skills to prepare them to enter the workforce. There will be games and competitions throughout the program to increase team building, build confidence, written/oral communication, and leadership skills, assess knowledge, and relationship building. This interactive learning experience focuses on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) using aviation and aerospace as the medium while promoting the values of scholarship, leadership, and citizenship.
Audience: Ages 16 – 17

Blackjack and Gaming – This capstone is designed to provide participants with a fundamental understanding of the gaming and casino industry. Topics include the fundamentals of dealing Blackjack, customer service, working with difficult players. After successful completion of the capstone, participants will receive Prince George’s Community College Workforce Development Certificate, Continuing Education Units, Certificate of Work Ethic Proficiency and Digital Badge, Planning and implementation of a public gaming event (simulation), and an interview with staff from Prince George’s County Gaming employers.
Audience: Ages 18 - 22

Culinary Arts, Customer Service, and Hospitality – The Culinary, Customer Service and Hospitality Capstone Program offers Guest Service Gold ®: making Connections and the NEW Guest Service Gold ®: Golden Opportunities. Each option features seven different guest service elements presented through real stories that are designed to motivate and inspire guest service professionals. Participants will create Brand Affirmation utilizing the seven principals in Guest Service. Certifications offered through the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute, receive Prince George’s Community College Workforce Development Certificate, Certificate of Work Ethic Proficiency and Digital Badge, and experience planning and implementing a culinary event for the public.
Audience: Ages 18 - 22

Cyber Security - The Cyber Security Summer Capstone at Bowie State University introduces participants to the Information Technology field. Youth will gain knowledge of cloud computing and cyber security concepts supporting big data and data mobility. Participants will be introduced to the principles of the Design Thinking Methodology which will help them develop key problem- and critical-thinking skills to address real-world IT problem sets.  Subject matter experts from Microsoft, Lockheed Martin, the Leidos Corporation and other national IT firms, will provide the participants with real-world case scenarios to prevent cyber threats. The participants will work in groups and develop their own companies that are designed to address these cyber security threats, resulting in a Cyber Challenge presentation before a panel of Cyber Security experts.
Audience: Ages 14 – 17

Energy Literacy – Participants learn how to design buildings better to maximize energy efficiency and to keep our buildings healthy. In career and technology classrooms participants are installing solar panels, monitoring wind turbine output, learning about oil and gas exploration in shale, and exploring transportation technologies. Participants learn about various careers in the field of energy and the course curriculum is designed for participants interested in engineering, science, economics, environmental sciences, law, geology and a host of other disciplines that have a role in the energy industry.

Audience: Ages 14 – 15

Entrepreneurial and Professional Development - Without access to technical, entrepreneurial, and professional training, some youth are at risk of being excluded from high paying jobs in technical sectors and lucrative entrepreneurial opportunities. This entrepreneurial and professional capstone brings together demonstrated leaders in the private and public sectors to identify and train the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs. We do this through alignment with Gallup’s world-renowned Strengths Finder and BP10 assessments. There are 4 content areas offered that will prepare participants to be competitive in our constantly changing world. Technology, Entrepreneurship, Vocational (pre-construction studies), and Content Creation. These areas are nontraditional regarding the college blueprint but were chosen for their multidimensional competencies that can span across all areas of the students learning and future workforce experience.
Audience: Ages 14 – 15

Environment-Clean County Cadets – This environmentally-focused capstone emphasizes the importance of a healthy and clean environment. The Clean County Cadets will learn the impact of pollution on the environment; identify different species that live in the water, understand the importance of protecting the water and the need to keep it clean, learn about urban farming, the need for plants and composting. Through hands-on activities, participants will understand and organize litter cleanups events, visit the landfill and recycling facilities to understand how waste is properly disposed and reused, plant trees and vegetation and educate others on the importance of making us Prince George’s Proud!
Audience: Ages 14 - 15

KEYS Explorers - KEYS Explorers will be integrated into the Summer Work KEYS program and serve as a feeder program for out of school youth who are disconnected from employment and/or education. Over the course of the program, participants will be exposed to six different in-demand industries.  They will explore occupations, education and training requirements, salaries, growth projections and opportunities within each industry.  The objective is to serve (70) participants who will obtain employability, soft and life skills that will increase their ability to be competitive in the job market and have a better understanding of the featured industries.
Audience: Ages 18 - 22

Leadership – This leadership capstone training is filled with fundamental insight to catapult the sufficiency of each participant. Incorporated is a variety of learning styles coupled with the additional elements of diversity. The delivery of content-rich instruction will provide high engagement, real-life scenarios/case studies, and inspiring activities to crystallize the learning experience. Participants will participate in activities that foster life skills, the fundamentals of web design, financial literacy, healthy living & nutrition, public speaking, and college preparatory (Exploring Options, Application Process & Scholarship Search). 
Audience: Ages 16 – 17

NIH-Health and Bioscience – This capstone will introduce participants to the Health and Biosciences field. Participants will be exposed to advanced scientific research on a college level that is tailored to middle and high school-aged youth.  Participants will learn about genetics, DNA and the impact this has on health and the healthcare field. Conducted in partnership with the National Human Genome Research Institute at NIH and Bowie State University’s Department of Natural Sciences, participants will learn about genetic disorders and rare diseases and conduct laboratory work to understand how and if DNA impacts rare disorders. The youth will: a) work with and observe state of the art virtual bioscience labs, b) learn how to use technology to gather and analyze scientific data, and c) solve real-world case studies focusing on rare diseases currently under research at the Genome Research Institute at NIH.  
Audience: Ages 14 - 17

School-Aged Youth Development – This opportunity is for participants interested in the childcare/summer camp field. Participants receive instruction and practice that enhances the skills, knowledge, and techniques necessary to work with children ages 6 – 13. Topics include age-appropriate communication, behaviors, and activities. After successful completion of the capstone, participants will receive Prince George’s Community College Workforce Development Certificate, Continuing Education Units, Certificate of Work Ethic Proficiency and Digital Badge, and 160 hours of hands-on experience.
Audience: Ages 18 - 22

The 2020 Youth@Work/SYEP will run from June 29 to August 7.