In the News: CareerSource Tampa Bay Spotlighted for Youth Employment Efforts
- Date 6/23/2026
- Media Contact Doug Tobin
- Email tobind@careersourcetb.com
CareerSource Tampa Bay was recently featured in a Tampa Bay Times article examining the state of teen summer employment and how local organizations are helping young people gain access to meaningful work opportunities.
The story highlights that while teen unemployment remains a challenge nationwide, CareerSource Tampa Bay continues to connect youth with valuable work experiences through our Summer P.A.Y.S. (Preparing Area Youth for Success) program. This year, strong demand for youth employment opportunities resulted in overwhelming interest from young adults across Hillsborough and Pinellas counties seeking summer jobs, internships, and career exploration experiences.
Through Summer P.A.Y.S., eligible youth ages 15–24 gain paid work experience, career coaching, professional development training, and exposure to high-demand industries while local employers help build the future workforce pipeline.
As Youth Programs Director Leondra Foster has noted:
“This program would not be able to succeed without the support of our business community.”
She also emphasized that employer partnerships play a critical role in strengthening regional talent pipelines and expanding workplace learning opportunities for young people.
Thank you to all CareerSource Tampa Bay staff, employer partners, educators, and community stakeholders who help make these opportunities possible for the youth we serve every year.
Read the full Tampa Bay Times article:
https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/2026/06/22/is-future-teen-summer-jobs-over-not-tampa-bay/