City Offering 4,000 Fewer Summer Jobs
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Mayor Richard M. Daley announced Tuesday that the city's summer jobs program will offer 4,000 fewer jobs than last year, due to the loss of funding from the federal stimulus program.
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The city and various private businesses will provide 14,000 jobs this summer for youths between the ages of 14 and 21, Daley said. That's a 22 percent drop from last year, when the program provided 18,000 jobs.
To help make up the shortfall this year, Daley asked private businesses to step up with more job openings, internships or direct funding for the program.
"I want to challenge and ask our business leaders to strengthen our efforts to provide jobs for young people, or opportunities or internships," Daley said.
Last year, the city got about $8.6 million in federal stimulus money for its summer jobs program, but stimulus money is not available this summer, Daley said.