High School Programs

High school students often face greater pressures with less family and community support than was available in the past. HIRED provides a variety of programs for at-risk high school youth, each designed to help program participants assess their interests, evaluate their skills, identify important credentials and develop practical work experience through internships and entry-level jobs. These programs are supported through Workforce Investment Act funding in Ramsey County, the City of Minneapolis and suburban Hennepin County.

YouthLEAD
YouthLEAD (Learn, Earn, Attain, Develop) is an employment-based education program serving approximately 250 out-of-school Ramsey County youth. Supported through Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funding, and in partnership with Ramsey County Workforce Solutions, YouthLEAD is a performance-based program that challenges adolescents to develop into healthy working young adults. The program consistently achieves WIA targets for sustained participant achievement in educational attainment, skill-based training, and employment.

YouthLEAD provides one-on-one, individualized counseling, with an emphasis on the attainment of academic and training credentials. Counselors provide skill and interest assessments, employment-enabling support services (including bus cards and clothing for employment and interviewing), and access to post-secondary training resources. Through partnerships with community colleges and other organizations, YouthLEAD helps participants obtain skills-based training leading to a wide range of jobs and careers.

The YouthLEAD program is open to out-of-school youth in Ramsey County, with an age target of 18 to 21 years old. All participants must be enrolled in an ALC program, be pursuing a GED, have dropped out of high school, or be a recent high school graduate. Participants are typically enrolled in the program for about a year and are eligible for follow-up counseling and support.

To find out more about YouthLEAD, including eligibility for participation in the program, please read the Frequently Asked Questions page, and then contact the program manager, Jan West, at 651-999-5662, or by e-mail.

Minneapolis Employment Training Program
The Minneapolis Employment Training Program (METP) is a WIA-funded, employment-based education program serving youth in the city of Minneapolis. Housed at Patrick Henry High School and Edison High School, the program offers a range of job-preparation services designed to help in-school and out-of-school youth identify their skills, complete their secondary education credential, and find employment.

The program is open to out-of-school youth in Minneapolis, ages 14-21 years old. All participants may be enrolled in an ALC program, be pursuing a GED, have dropped out of high school, or be a recent high school graduate. Participants are typically enrolled in the program for about a year and are eligible for follow-up counseling and support.

To find out more about METP, including eligibility for participation in the program, please read the Frequently Asked Questions page, and then contact Juan Mitchell, Senior Employment Coordinator, at 612-408-8319, or by e-mail.