The Young Adult Program at the PA CareerLink® services participants between 17-24. Our program helps students that are looking to obtain their GED, but also students that have diplomas and are looking for work experience.
Our GED class runs every day from 8:30 – 12:00. We have two instructors; one who teaches Math and Science and one who focuses on Language Arts and Social Studies. Through our funds, we can cover the cost of books, testing, and all other fees. The instructors are also available to tutor and work one-on-one with students in the afternoon. Each participant will have a case manager to help them through this process, as well as employment or secondary education. The average length of time to complete their GED for students is between 2-3 months.
For both students that come in with a diploma and those in class, we offer paid work experience. We partner with different companies around Berks County in order to offer placements or internships. Our worksites are broken up into four main categories; office work, working with children, factory/production, and retail. Participants can work up to 30 hours a week and are paid between $8-$10 an hour. There is no cost to the employer. Some sites will offer full-time jobs after completion. Students can do multiple rounds of paid work and the placements are based upon each student’s interest and career path.
The end goal of our program is to find full-time employment and/or successful enrollment in secondary education. Our case managers provide support to the participants each step of the way. If you are interested in participating in our program, the first step is to attend a Welcome Orientation held at the PA CareerLink®. They are held Tuesdays at 9:30 and Wednesdays at 1:30. From there, you will be placed into our Young Adult Orientation held the first two weeks of each month. Again, there is no charge to the participant for any part of our program.
