MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Applications are now open for a fellowship meant to promote professional development and job skills among teenagers.
The Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris Urban Fellowship is a partnership between the Mayor’s Office of Innovation and the Memphis Urban League. Fellows earn $300 per week. The program runs from Tuesdays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. from July 9 through Aug. 1 at the Memphis Urban League at 413 N. Cleveland St.
Rising high school juniors and seniors can apply for the program, which allows the teens to earn certifications in health coaching, training from folks at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center (UTHSC), and training in Microsoft Office and video editing. Participants will also receive Memphis Urban League’s job readiness curriculum and attend lunch and learns every Wednesday to learn about other career opportunities.
“Memphis Urban League’s mission has always been to create a city where our youth, seniors, and those in underserved areas are self-sufficient and can share in the city’s prosperity and well-being,” said Gale Jones Carson, Interim President and CEO of Memphis Urban League. “This means we must reach our citizens as early as we can with skills that allow them to seek a brighter future.”
“Memphis Urban League has a history of serving the urban core of Memphis and getting residents ready for their next stage in life,” said Mayor Harris. “Shelby County Government is glad to join them in laser-focusing on equipping teens with job skills, certifications, and enthusiasm for a desired career, so they have a leg up as they enter adulthood.”
“The Shelby County Mayor’s Office of Innovation is dedicated to supporting youth at all ages,” said Dominique McKinnie, Shelby County Youth and Family Innovations Manager. “By providing our community’s teens and young adults with job skills training through The Mayor Lee Harris Urban Fellowship, it empowers them to think outside the box in relation to careers, break cycles, and build their own foundation.”
Applications can be found at https://bit.ly/urbanfellowship. They close on Friday, June 28, at 4 p.m.