Hartford-Area Businesses Hiring Through CRT Teen Summer Jobs Program

Summer break means summer jobs for young people in the Hartford area. On Monday the Community Renewal Team (CRT) held their job fair for their Summer Youth Employment Program.

“Today is an awesome day. All of the employers that said they would collaborate with us and hire our youth for the summer are actually here to interview the youth,” said Cynthia Baisden, the program manager.

Young people between the ages of 14 to 21 years old will get professional experience in Hartford and East Hartford through the six-week summer program. This year there are double the amount of students and until a week and a half ago, not enough businesses were signed up to help out. After NBC Connecticut brought attention to the issue, employers came pouring in.

“We have 190 kids here today, they are meeting with perspective employers from all across Hartford and East Hartford to learn about the job opportunities they will have this summer. All of the kids who go through interviews today, they will be placed with a job that they go to on Monday and then they will be with us working for the next 6 weeks,” said Jason Black, the Strategic Communication Specialist for CRT.

CRT gets their funding from outside partners, then manages the program and the payroll. The students get paid to work and it doesn’t cost the businesses a thing. In the end, the payoff is priceless.

“It's amazing, it teaches you skills to be independent and it teaches you leadership skills, communication - social skills, it is just an amazing experience to have,” said 17-year-old Maya Sanabria.

Sanabria is going into her third year in the program and just graduated from high school. She said the program has changed her life and she is hopeful it will only grow from here.