"It really does form your future:" Mayor looking for employers to take part in "Earn & Learn" summer program

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- On a very cold Wednesday, February 18th, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett was thinking about summer. He met with Milwaukee-area employers to talk about the city's "Earn & Learn Program."

Mayor Barrett's Earn & Learn Program provides employment opportunities in the city for high school youth and young adults, exposing them to the working world and improving workforce preparedness.

The program helps young people make a successful transition from adolescence to adulthood by providing opportunities to develop work-readiness skills while they earn wages working in government, community and faith-based organizations and private sector businesses.

Earn & Learn is operated jointly by the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board (MAWIB) and the Milwaukee Department of City Development (DCD). It is part of a regional effort ensure the economic growth and vitality of the Milwaukee metropolitan area by preparing young people to successfully enter the future labor force.

Mayor Barrett is calling on local businesses to help join the cause. He says a first job is important for young people.

"It really does form your future because it teaches you how to interact with people, how to show up on time, how to dress appropriately for work, and those are all incredibly important life skills that we have to teach people," Mayor Barrett said.

This year the program is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the program and the requirements for young people who may be interested in getting involved.