700 Summer Jobs for Jersey City Youth

Jersey City said this week it will offer about 700 paid summer jobs to residents ages 15 to 24 under a new program called JC Next. Mayor James Solomon announced the initiative on May 13, saying the first phase will place young people in city departments, small businesses and larger employers across the city. The jobs are part of a broader youth employment push that City Hall said is intended to connect summer work with longer-term career exposure. The first phase is scheduled to begin this summer, with one major internship track running from July 6 through Aug. 21, according to city materials. ### Where do the 700 jobs actually come from? The city said the 700 positions are split across three buckets. About 250 jobs are in the Department of Recreation and Youth Development, including summer camp counselors, counselors-in-training, assistant site supervisors and aquatics staff, according to the mayor's announcement. Another 250 are funded through an Urban Enterprise Zone grant and will place participants in paid internships, apprenticeships and career-development roles at UEZ-registered businesses in Jersey City's commercial corridors. (jerseycitynj.gov) Roughly 200 more positions are expected from private businesses and government departments that agree to host interns or help fund placements. TAPinto, citing city officials, reported that the business-partnership component is new for the city's summer youth employment effort and said those added slots come at no added cost to taxpayers. Mayor Solomon said the city had "nearly 200 more jobs than last year." (jerseycitynj.gov) ### Who can apply, and what kind of work is on offer? City materials say applicants must be Jersey City residents between 15 and 24 years old. The Summer Works internship track says placements may include business and administration, recreation and youth programs, healthcare and community services, construction and skilled trades, marketing and media, technology and digital skills, and nonprofit organizations. (tapinto.net) The Department of Recreation and Youth Development jobs are more specific. City Hall said those openings include camp counselors, counselors-in-training, assistant site supervisors and aquatics staff. The city said JC Next is designed to expose participants to different careers, workplaces and community leaders while they gain work experience. Deputy Mayor for Education Dia Bryant said the program is meant to give young people access to "experiences, skills, and relationships" needed to participate in the city's future. (jerseycitynj.gov) ### How much will participants be paid? The clearest published pay figure is in the UEZ-funded internship track. The city said that portion of the program will pay $17 an hour for 25 hours a week. Over a six-week session, that works out to $425 a week before taxes. (jerseycitynj.gov) A separate city handout for Summer Works says the schedule will be 20 to 25 hours a week and describes compensation as a summer stipend, but does not list a single citywide rate for every placement. That means the widely cited $425 weekly figure is tied to the UEZ-funded track described in the mayor's announcement, not necessarily every job under the 700-position umbrella. (cdnsm5-hosted.civiclive.com) ### What is City Hall saying the program is supposed to do? Mayor Solomon said JC Next is a "serious, sustained commitment" to building a pipeline of local talent and said the program is meant to continue beyond the summer. The mayor's office described this first phase as the largest youth employment mobilization in recent city history. (cdnsm5-hosted.civiclive.com) Dia Bryant, the deputy mayor for education, said the city wants young people to gain access not only to jobs but also to professional networks and work environments. The city framed the initiative as a way to connect youth employment with future roles in government, civic institutions and the local economy. ### How do young people sign up, and what happens next? (jerseycitynj.gov) City application materials say interested residents should complete Jersey City's employment application and a separate interest form so staff can match them with employers. The Summer Works internship handout says placements will vary by location within Jersey City. (jerseycitynj.gov) July 6, 2026, is the published start date for the UEZ-funded portion of the program, and Aug. 21, 2026, is the listed end date for that six-week run. City Hall said the remaining placements will be filled across municipal government, neighborhood businesses and other employer partners as the summer rollout moves ahead. (cdnsm5-hosted.civiclive.com) (jerseycitynj.gov)