First Lady Chirlane McCray, Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City and NYC Business Leaders Announce 5 New Industry Partnerships to Connect Students to NYC's Leading Employers

May 17, 2016

At launch, 126 companies from media and entertainment, real estate, hospitality, business services and fashion industries are on board to support new career experiences

Industry partnerships will create 500 paid internship opportunities for high school and undergraduate college students for summer 2016

Initiative will bring together government, business and nonprofits with the NYC Center for Youth Employment to build pipelines of diverse, local talent and put young people on a path to career success

NEW YORK— First Lady Chirlane McCray, the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City and leaders from New York City’s real estate, hospitality, business services, media and entertainment, and fashion industries today announced the launch of a new strategy and approach for creating career opportunities for New York City young adults. This initiative leverages new public-private partnerships with key city industries to both provide unique work experiences for young people and build a pipeline of talent for companies that is homegrown and diverse.

These partnerships will bring together industry stakeholders, including companies, trade associations and related City agencies, in unprecedented collaboration with the NYC Center for Youth Employment, a Mayor’s Fund initiative that is dedicated to increasing and improving New York City’s youth employment services. The goal of the partnerships is to address private sector workforce needs, starting first with creating quality internship experiences and opening a dialogue on the employee skills valued by each sector.

So far, the Mayor’s Fund has signed on 126 companies in every borough and of all sizes to either host 500 students in paid, specialized internships this summer or sponsor those opportunities. These opportunities will all be privately funded with the support of founding partners: Time Warner, Hearst, Discovery Communications, Pearson, CBS Corporation, Citi Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, Deloitte, RBC Capital Markets, Guardian, the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), NYC & Company, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME).

This announcement was made today at the headquarters of founding partner Time Warner by First Lady Chirlane McCray and Gabrielle Fialkoff, Senior Advisor to the Mayor and Director of the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Partnerships; Gary Ginsberg, Executive Vice President of Corporate Marketing and Communications at Time Warner Inc.; Deanna Mulligan, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Guardian; Bill Rudin, President of Rudin Management Company and Chairman of the Association for A Better New York; fashion designer Prabal Gurung; Fred Dixon, President and CEO of NYC & Company; and Melissa Smith, head of the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Bank for the Northeast Region and Chair of the Northeast Operating Committee.

“Great careers are often traced back to a first job as a lifeguard, a grocery store cashier, a pizza parlor dishwasher, or a summer camp counselor. We all start somewhere. But our young people are not the only ones who benefit from summer work experiences – our business community is in dire need of more qualified workers,” said First Lady and Mayor’s Fund Board Chair Chirlane McCray. “If New York City wants to remain the opportunity capital of the world, we need to bridge the gap between employer needs and employee skills. We need to bring business, government and nonprofits together to develop talent and channel it to our 21st century workplaces. That’s why we are building a jobs pipeline with our Center for Youth Employment and the five industry partnerships that we are so proud to launch today.”

"On behalf of Time Warner, we are proud to be a founding partner in this important initiative. As someone who benefitted immensely from the internship opportunities I was afforded during my high school and college years, I know first -hand how transformative this program will be for the thousands of New York public high school students whose lives will be enriched by it. And for companies such as ours whose lifeblood depends on telling the world's best stories, having access to the trendsetters of tomorrow will be invaluable as we help shape the future of media through our film and television content," said Gary Ginsberg, Executive Vice President of Corporate Marketing and Communications at Time Warner Inc.

“By connecting students to New York City’s leading employers for summer internships, we are equipping our next generation of leaders with the tools, experiences and exposure they need to flourish in the future,” said Bill Rudin, Vice Chairman & CEO of Rudin Management Company and Chairman of the Association for a Better New York. “In addition to nurturing a talent pipeline from which our industries can draw, we are giving young people the opportunity to discover what they are passionate about and putting them on a path to success.”

“Internships are often the foundation to a career in the fashion industry,” said Prabal Gurung, Creative Director of Prabal Gurung. “They allow for students to gain firsthand experience and to explore different areas and interests, taking a deeper dive into the business. A challenge for many students is gaining access to these internships, so we are proud to be partnering with the Mayor’s Fund and First Lady Chirlane McCray to improve access and help nurture tomorrow's talent.”

“Guardian is proud to be a founding partner of the Center for Youth Employment. It is the responsibility of each of us across the public and private sector to continue to develop new ways of bridging the gap between corporations, schools and government to create jobs for those who need them. A way all companies can start now is by committing to two actions: internship and mentorship,” said Deanna Mulligan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Guardian.

“JPMorgan Chase understands the crucial role summer employment plays in putting young people on the pathway to productive careers” said Melissa Smith, Chair of the Northeast Operating Committee for JPMorgan Chase. “We are proud to be a leading sponsor of the City’s effort to increase the number of students who are able to benefit from a meaningful summer work experience.”

“We know that our young people are struggling to transition from their education to a successful career. And we know that our city’s businesses are looking to hire from a diverse, experienced workforce. With these five partnerships, we are combining the forces of government and the private sector to satisfy both of those clear needs,” said Gabrielle Fialkoff, Senior Advisor to the Mayor and Director of the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Partnerships. “These 500 internships will build true pipelines of trained talent for our growing industries, helping our youth to take the next step toward a great job, connecting our employers to loyal and eager future employees, and strengthening our city’s economy overall.”

“New York City’s thriving media and entertainment sectors offer unparalleled opportunities to build a meaningful career. MOME is committed to ensuring these industries reflect the diversity of our city itself, and to open doors for young New Yorkers from all backgrounds,” said Media and Entertainment Commissioner Julie Menin. “These internships will provide students with real-world experience and key connections that will surely enhance their future employment prospects. I thank all of our industry partners who were instrumental in bringing this initiative to life.”

“In order to ensure the future of our city, we must nurture talent that can build upon our success in every industry and in every corner of New York," said NYCEDC President Maria Torres-Springer. “These paid summer internships with leading companies will provide students with the opportunity to gain vital career exposure, professional development training and mentorship, while assisting them in building the skills necessary to thrive in New York City’s workforce.”

“DYCD is proud to work with the Mayor’s Fund to ensure our young people get unique job opportunities to help them build the necessary skills to succeed and advance in any career path,” said Department of Youth & Community Development Commissioner Bill Chong. “Connecting our youth to unique paid internships in the fields of fashion, hospitality, real estate, media and entertainment will give participants in our Ladders for Leaders program first-hand, real world job experience with the most dynamic companies in the city as they prepare to become our next generation of influencers.”

“The tourism industry supports hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs in every borough, serving as an essential gateway to the middle class for many New Yorkers,” said Fred Dixon, President and CEO of NYC & Company. “Through this unique partnership, young New Yorkers will gain valuable experience from leaders in the New York City tourism industry, and businesses have access to motivated, local talent. NYC & Company is proud to partner with the First Lady and Mayor’s Fund to strengthen the tourism industry, its workforce, and young New Yorkers’ professional development.”

“The real estate industry is proud to partner with the Mayor’s Fund on this important program, which provides public high school students with invaluable work experience while also exposing them to a range of exciting career opportunities,” said Tishman Speyer President and CEO Rob Speyer, who also serves as Chair of both the Board of Advisors for the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City and the Real Estate Board of New York. “Tishman Speyer is a long-time partner with the City on its internship initiatives, and we are excited to welcome a new group of exceptional young adults again this summer."

“I’ll never forget my experience as a law firm intern when I was an undergraduate and how it helped prepare me for my career. Similarly, our members recognize how critically important hands-on work experience in a professional environment is to a student’s development,” said John H. Banks, III, President of the Real Estate Board of New York. “We are committed to furthering the expansion of quality internships being offered through this initiative and investing in students seeking opportunities to kick-start their careers.”

“RBC is committed to supporting New York City's youth,” said Blair Fleming, Head of RBC Capital Markets in the United States. “Partnering with the Mayor’s Fund is one way of giving back to and enriching our community, and we are delighted to have this opportunity. We are excited to continue our mission of creating opportunities for young people in NYC through our many partnerships and events, such as RBC Race for the Kids, and to advancing an agenda of philanthropy and diversity.”

“Most fashion careers start with the internship, which offers valuable insights into the industry. By partnering with the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City and the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the CFDA is providing high school students and college undergraduates with the opportunity to become tomorrow’s fashion leaders,” said Steven Kolb, President and Chief Executive Officer of the CFDA.

“We are proud to continue our collaboration with Mayor de Blasio, First Lady McCray, and the NYC Center for Youth Employment to connect more young people with summer job opportunities,” said Brandee McHale, President of the Citi Foundation. "These first-job experiences provide the workplace and leadership skills crucial to career success and the early money management know-how that can help build a strong financial future."

“Internships are crucial to the media and entertainment industry as well as the entire business sector. Much like our young people need exposure and work opportunities to prepare them for careers, businesses are in need of more diverse and experienced talent. Discovery is proud to be one of the founding partners of this new initiative, which is investing in the future of our students and the future of business,” said Adria Alpert Romm, Chief Human Resources and Global Diversity Officer at Discovery Communications.

“Deloitte recognizes that preparing today’s students to be tomorrow’s leaders is beneficial for our communities. Through supporting initiatives like this, we are able to demonstrate our commitment to help grow and develop the workforce of the future,” said Steve Gallucci, New York Tri-State managing partner, Deloitte LLP.

“Given the demand for jobs from our young people, this initiative is another step in the right direction. Increased jobs for youth is essential and I look forward to working with this administration in increasing even more opportunities,” said Council Member Jumaane D. Williams.

"I am pleased to see these partnerships being developed across sectors. Working with business leaders is a critical component in providing meaningful employment opportunities for New York City's young people. We must take advantage of our City's thriving business sector to build these collaborations, a foundation on which we should continue to expand and grow the City's support for youth," said Council Member Julissa Ferreras.

“When the Mayor’s Fund launched the Center for Youth Employment one year ago, our goal was to join forces with private sector to develop a new approach to our city’s youth employment services – one that works for both our youth and our employers. The result is the incredible partnerships that we are launching today,” said Darren Bloch, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City. “Through these specialized internships, we are opening new doors for our city’s students to gain needed skills, while also supporting the talent demands of both small and large employers in our city’s most active and iconic industries. It is a true win-win for our youth, our businesses and our city.”

“The NYC Center for Youth Employment is focused on creating work opportunities that help our young people to identify their career interests and prepare them to thrive in their chosen fields,” said David Fischer, Executive Director of the NYC Center for Youth Employment. “By involving employers who best know the skills they need and the credentials, attributes and experiences they most value in their employees, these five partnerships will help to put hundreds of young adult New Yorkers on a path to success.”

Over the past five years, New York City’s high school graduation rate has improved to 70 percent, but only 33 percent of graduates are considered college or career ready. At the same time, one out of every three American companies has openings for which they can’t find qualified workers, and only 10 percent of companies report having recruitment outcomes that meet their diversity goals.

These partnerships will help to address these clear challenges, by providing more opportunities for young adult New Yorkers to gain exposure and experience that will prepare them for jobs and careers. At the same time, they will enable employers in key fields to help construct workplace opportunities for young people in their sector that build necessary skills and connectivity, creating true pipelines of diverse talent into their industries.

The partnerships will also result in feedback loops within these sectors, including clinics with participating employers. Employers and businesses know their industries best, and their responses and opinions will assist both the City and the private sector in better understanding the skills needed for success, where entry-level jobs exist, and how to shape internship experiences so that work for both students and business.

The 500 students who will participate in these internships will be selected from the NYC Ladders for Leaders program. A nationally recognized program administered by the NYC Department for Youth and Community Development, Ladders connects high achieving high school and college students with paid, professional summer internships within leading large and small businesses, nonprofits and government agencies citywide. These industry partnerships will further specialize the opportunities available through Ladders for Leaders.

Each Ladders for Leaders candidate is selected through a rigorous application process and receives 30 hours of pre-employment training. This year’s program will begin in July 2016 and will last for six weeks, with students working for a minimum of 25 hours per week.

This initiative is part of the NYC Center for Youth Employment’s ongoing efforts to create pipelines of young talent into our city’s industries, in order to build employment services that meet the needs of both young adult New Yorkers and city business. Launched one year ago by the Mayor’s Fund, the NYC Center for Youth Employment has a specific goal of supporting 100,000 unique work-related experiences each year, including high-quality summer jobs, career exposure, skills-building, and supportive mentorships, by 2020. In collaboration with City agencies, employers and other stakeholders, the Center works toward expanding effective programs and filling in gaps to strengthen the overall system of work experience and career exploration services for youth.

Real Estate Industry

The Mayor’s Fund is collaborating with founding partner REBNY to identify employers in the real estate industry that can best offer real world training through 100 paid internships this summer. So far, the following real estate companies have signed on to this partnership, by either committing to host young people this summer or sponsoring internships at other real estate companies:

• The Brodsky Organization
• Cushman & Wakefield
• Douglaston Development
• The Durst Organization
• Jack Resnick & Sons, Inc.
• Jamestown LP
• Rockrose Development Corp.
• Rudin Management Company, Inc.
• SL Green Realty Corp.
• Tishman Speyer
• Two Trees Management Co.
• Vornado Realty Trust

Media/Entertainment Industry

The Mayor’s Fund has joined forces with founding partners MOME, Time Warner, Hearst, Discovery Communications, Pearson and CBS Corporation to create the Media & Entertainment Momentum Fund. This partnership will offer 100 summer internships within the city’s large and small media and entertainment companies, including but not limited to production, design, post-production, and stagecraft. MOME will financially back 30 of those internships and the four founding partners will support the remaining 70 internships. So far, the following media and entertainment companies have signed on to this partnership, by either committing to host young people this summer or sponsoring internships at other media and entertainment companies:

• A to Z Media
• A2IM ( American Association of Independent Music)
• Access Theater
• Advenutre Pants TV
• Atlantic Pictures
• AudioSalad
• caribBEING
• Casbah Pictures
• CBS Corporation
• Cowboy Bear Ninja Productions
• DE | 1989
• Decker Design Inc.
• Discovery Communications
• Downtown Music Publishing
• En Garde Arts
• Ense
• Epic Theatre Ensemble
• Firelight Films
• Gold Village Entertainment
• Havas
• Hearst
• Limebeat
• Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC)
• Marauder
• Ma-Yi Theatre Company
• Merry Bright Music Enterprises
• New York Musical Festival
• Panavision
• PaperCutz
• Pearson
• Rada Films
• Song Trust
• Take Two (Zelnick Media Corporation)
• The New Group
• The Public Theater
• Theatreworks USA
• Time Warner
• TommY BoY Entertainment
• Vineyard Theatre
• VP Records
• Workman Publishing

Hospitality Industry

The Mayor’s Fund is working with founding partner NYC & Company to secure 100 internships throughout New York City’s hospitality industry. These internships will be sponsored by participating employers, hospitality companies and NYC & Company. So far, the following hospitality companies have signed on to this partnership, by either committing to host young people this summer or sponsoring internships at other hospitality companies:

• 87am
• American Airlines
• Born Hotels
• The Broadway League
• CityExperts
• Convene
• LaGuardia Plaza Hotels
• Manhattan by Sail
• Modell's Sporting Goods
• New York Cruise Lines
• NY Marriott Marquis
• Patina Group
• RAYMI Restaurant
• Statue Cruises (Hornblower)
• Wave Hill
• The Wall Street Experience

Business Services Industry

The Mayor’s Fund is working with founding partners JPMorgan Chase, Citi Foundation, Deloitte, RBC Capital Markets and Guardian, as well as the Association for a Better New York and New York City’s borough-based Chambers of Commerce and Business Improvement Districts to coordinate 100 internship placements for this summer. Internships will be financially backed by founding partners and participating employers. So far, the following business services companies have signed on to this partnership, by either committing to host young people this summer or sponsoring internships at other business services companies:

• Amalgamated Bank
• Bernard Herold, Investments
• Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners LLP
• Blackstone
• Boies, Schiller, Flexner LLP
• Boston Consulting Group
• Citi Foundation
• Con Edison
• Cooley LLP
• Deloitte
• HAKS Construction
• HFZ
• Hughes Hubbard and Reed
• Guardian
• JPMorgan Chase
• Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel, LLP
• Mayerson & Associates
• Paulson & Co

Fashion Industry

In March, the Mayor’s Fund, the CFDA and the NYCEDC launched NYC Fashion Forward, committing to pair 100 students with paid internships at both small to mid-sized and large fashion employers citywide. NYC Fashion Forward has since secured 38 fashion companies to provide all 100 internships for the summer of 2016. NYCEDC is financially backing 60 summer jobs, while the remaining 40 positions will be employer-funded. The following fashion employers have committed to host young people this summer:

• 3.1 Phillip LIM
• Alice & Olivia
• B. Michael America
• Barney's
• Cadet
• CFDA
• Coach
• Create-A-Marker
• Cynthia Rowley
• David Wolfson & Assocaites, Inc
• Design Incubator
• Designers & Agents
• DKNY
• DVF Studio
• DYE-Namix
• Haskell
• J.Crew
• K/LLER Collection
• Kate Spade & Company
• Krupp Group
• Lord & Taylor
• LuLu Frost
• Macy's
• Maison De Mode
• Melissa Joy Manning
• Misha Nonoo
• New York Embrodiery
• Nicholas K
• Nicole Miller
• Opening Ceremony
• Ovadia & Sons
• Prabal Gurung
• Rachel Comey
• Ralph Lauren
• The Sak Brand
• Tommy Hilfiger
• Williamson PR
• ZAC Posen