Youth Employment Programs

HelpTech-Teens & AbilityTech-Teens

The Academy successfully delivered its HelpTech-Teens and AbilityTech-Teens Program during the summers of 2005, 2006, & 2007 under the City of Rochester’s Good Grades Pay and Summer of Opportunity Programs, and received the “Gold Star Employer Award” for our successful implementations in each year. 

HelpTech-Teens is a structured program for disadvantaged or disabled teens that combines standardized classroom instruction with real world work experience in the Computer Technology Industry. It uses an apprenticeship type model in which participants apply the knowledge gained in the classroom to six primary computer industry areas. This paid work experience occurs within our CommuniTech Computer Remanufacturing Center.  Participants have an opportunity to test and strengthen their computer skills and learn about a variety of possible career paths in the Computer/Information Technology Industry.  The Academy was also awarded a RochesterWorks 2007 Summer Youth Employment Grant for its HelpTech-Teens Program. 

AbilityTech-Teens is a structured paid work experience program for individuals with learning difficulties/disabilities that combines standardized classroom instruction in Computer and Assistive Technology with community service work experiences.  Participants have the opportunity to test and apply skills obtained through the instruction via a number of community service projects and learn how to utilize these skills in their future educational and employment pursuits. 

A total of 70 youth participated in these summer programs.  All students were:  assessed for skill attainment and successfully completed their programs, averaged a 97% attendance rate, and received a refurbished take-home computer at the end of their program. 

Start Here for a High Tech Career Program

The Academy was recently awarded a Start Here for a High Tech Career Grant from the Finger Lakes WIRED Project in which we will provide a structured paid work experience program modeled after our award winning HelpTech-Teens program. The target population of participants is very high at-risk Monroe County youth who have been adjudicated as delinquent, post-incarcerated, and enrolled in a day program with the NYS Office of Children and Family Services, Rochester Evening Reporting Center (RERC).   As a program partner, RERC will be responsible for recruiting all program participants.  They will also house a satellite of the Academy’s CommuniTech Computer Remanufacturing and Technical Support Service Center at their facility.  The project is scheduled to start July 1, 2008 and end on January 31, 2009 and will host 30 youth participants.

For the past three years, the Academy has received the Outstanding Asset Builder Award from Monroe County for its “efforts to build assets for youth and families in our community”.