SYEP, also known as the Summer Youth Employment Program, is one of the country’s largest youth employment programs.

It works by combining New York City youth that range between the ages of 14-24 with career opportunities and paid job experience every summer. The program was created in hopes of being better able to train the youth of New York for when they join the workforce so they have skills to depend upon.

The only requirement for joining the program is for participants to reside in one of the five boroughs and be legally allowed to work in the United States.

The participants that are selected are chosen at random through a lottery process so no one person is guaranteed a spot in the program.

WJPS senior, Oliver Gonzalez said, “It’s a good way for beginners to get a job since normal jobs usually require some sort of experience that may be hard to get.”

WJPS junior, Gerogie Tsiakas said, “I never really looked into the program, but it sounds like it would be a good opportunity for a lot of people.”