Pittsburgh City Council

A $1 million Mellon grant could turn Learn and Earn into a year-round program.

Written by Amy Whipple

Come fall, teens and young adults will be able to take part in the Learn and Earn program year-round. 

The Richard King Mellon Foundation awarded a $1 million grant to Partner4Work, which manages the city’s Learn and Earn Summer Youth Employment program. The money will go toward a pilot to continue the program through the other nine months.

Matt Singer, Mayor Corey O’Connor’s Deputy Chief of Staff, said the pilot will have two tracks. One provides initial work exposure and soft skills training to 16- and 17-year-olds and the other provides job-specific, hands-on experience and training to 18- to 23-year-olds. 

“We believe this expansion will go a long way…so they’re better able to enter the job market or figure out what they ultimately want to do for a career later on in life,” he said at the June 24 committee meeting.

The award requires a $1 million match, which council voted to move forward by using the Stop the Violence (STV) trust fund, which currently has a $10 million unencumbered balance.

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