Matlee hard at work interviewing for Courier-Life Publications

Brooklyn Teens Gain Critical Job Skills through Summer H.E.A.T. (Help Employ Ambitious Teens)

Every spring, high school students are faced with the challenging task of finding summer jobs. Many students want to work but find that employers are not eager to hire teens for the few months of summer. For six years, Summer H.E.A.T., the borough president’s program that reaches out to employers to help employ youth, has worked with employers to give teens a valuable experience in the workforce.

Last summer, almost 200 students between the ages of 16 to 18 participated. In preparation, many attended a business etiquette workshop given by the Junior League of Brooklyn, an organization focused on empowering women and training volunteers. Here, the young Brooklynites learned to create resumes and cover letters, got tips on dressing appropriately for the office, and practiced job interview skills. Pamela Antoine Weekes, president of the League, said that she believes Summer H.E.A.T. is a “stepping stone for the future for these students.”

After going to the workshop, the students were prepared to take their posts.

Matlee Davis, a graduate of Transit Tech landed a job at Courier-Life Publications. First placed in the advertisement department, he expressed to his then manager that he was interested in going to college for journalism. He was then given the opportunity to write an article about a political event at Kingsborough. They like his article so much and published it. Soon, he was hired full time and placed in the Editorial Department where all the reporters worked. When asked how Summer H.E.A.T. has helped him, he said Summer HEAT perfectly placed him “with pinpoint accuracy.” Meanwhile, the company was bought by the New York Post. He currently works with a lot of New York Post reporters and goes on exciting news coverages. When asked what type of stories he was assigned to cover, he said he would report on political events, movie premieres, and red carpet events. When Matlee was placed, he was 17. He is now 18 and plans to attend college in the Fall.

Cheyenne Kinch had good time working in Kings County Hospital’s Patient-Guest Relations Department. She helped file and type documents, handed out surveys for the hospital and tried to assist anyone who needed help. Working in a public hospital allowed her to see how hospitals are operated, and how many New Yorkers use Kings County Hospital’s facilities. “The best part of my job experience as a Summer H.E.A.T. intern was being able to help people everyday, whether I was directing people to certain departments, handing out passes or helping people fill out surveys to help improve their stay at the hospital.” Before working in her placement, Summer H.E.A.T gave her good advice on how to prepare herself for a job interview, how to create a resume, and how to network. Cheyenne commented that now she has the experience in a real office environment and knows what is needed to do in order to prepare for a job interview. “I am no longer nervous while applying for jobs because now I feel prepared to take on anything since I have already had working experience.”