Collaboration to build life and work skills for the 21st century
"My mentor taught me to believe in myself."
"I learned how to be a contributing member of a team.”
"I learned how to positively work with difficult customers."
"I learned how to advocate for myself and to be more confident.”
"I learned so much about joining the workforce."
"I learned how to manage time and how to deal with and solve problems."
"I am proud of how hard I worked this summer."
"I learned how to navigate professional relationships."
2019 - 2022 Summer Jobs Program Impacts
Students - we have served over 140 students
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96% would recommend the program to others
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100% said they learned something about themselves or work skills
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99% of said they positively contributed to the organizations where they worked
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91% learned something new about their job or career options
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88% said they learned something new from their mentors
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81% of our students said they practiced employability skills that were new or uncomfortable
Employers
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100% said their student employees practiced soft skills at work such as time management, communication, and problem solving
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95% said Summer Jobs Program students positively contributed to their organization
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96% want to participate as host employers again
Collaboration Success
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113 adult mentors have volunteered hundreds of hours of time to support students
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100+ local employers have offered to provide opportunities for students
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The program has expanded beyond the pilot in Helena. AJAY MT now also supports the program in Butte, Anaconda, Flathead region, and Yellowstone County.
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12 organizations, five colleges, and dozens of high schools are involved in implementing the program in five different regions.
In 2022, we surveyed students who participated in the program 2019-2021 to see how they were doing one to three years after completing the program.
81% agreed that the summer jobs program increased their confidence in the workforce
29% continued their jobs after they completed the Summer Jobs Program
