300 DeKalb students complete paid summer internships

Many interns who participated in the DeKalb Works summer internship program received their first paychecks this summer. Photo: DeKalb County

Many interns who participated in the DeKalb Works summer internship program received their first paychecks this summer. Photo: DeKalb County

About 300 DeKalb students made money and gained real-life work experience this summer by completing the county’s newly created summer internship program.

The DeKalb Works initiative, launched in March, paired participants between the ages of 14 and 24 with 70 employers in the private and public sector.

DeKalb CEO Mike Thurmond said the program helped fight the 30 percent unemployment rate for youths in Georgia.

“By investing in DeKalb’s youth through employment, we gave interns access to mentors and work experiences to help them transition to adulthood,” Thurmond said in a statement.

Participants were paid $9 an hour during the six-week program. Besides on-the-job experience, they also received soft-skills training about conflict resolution, presentation and punctuality.

The program was funded by $250,000 requested by Thurmond and approved by the DeKalb Board of Commissioners, along with $450,000 in federal money.

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