YOUTH PROGRAMS

Enriching Education and Preparing Our Workforce

Meeting the needs of our region's growing workforce with K-12 programs and trainings

Flint & Genesee Education & Talent is working to increase the number of students in the career and college pipelines through programs like YouthQuest, TeenQuest, and Summer Youth Initiative (SYI).

By building a solid foundation of personal, academic, and career-oriented skills, the programs offered through Education & Talent prepare the current and future workforce in Flint & Genesee.

K-12 PROGRAMMING

YouthQuest

YouthQuest is an innovative afterschool enrichment program for K-12 students in Flint & Genesee, offered at no cost to students.

TeenQuest

For students in grades 9-12, TeenQuest is designed to teach important skills needed to get and keep a job.

Summer Youth Initiative

The Summer Youth Initiative (SYI) program helps more than 500 qualified teens find employment each year.

Employability skills training classes
for middle and high school students

Classroom Workshops

Learn more about how hiring a Summer Youth Initiative (SYI) applicant can save your business money

Employer Resources

Open to the general public, TeenQuest alumni, and Career Edge series participants

Job & Resource Fair

KEY RESULTS

2,222

students received YouthQuest programming in 2021

179

graduates of TeenQuest sessions

4,000+

care packages and 450 school supply kits distributed to YouthQuest students and families

After SYI

Marcell Simmons

After completing the TeenQuest pre-employment program, Marcell Simmons snagged a summer job with Kayak Flint through Summer Youth Initiative in 2019. Although he graduated out of SYI soon after, the local nonprofit hired Marcell back on the following summer to serve as a rental supervisor. The Mott Community College student did so well in that position that he was promoted to lead supervisor in 2021. Here, he talks about the important work experience he’s gotten through SYI and Kayak Flint and how that’s prepared him for his future.