Youth Summer Job Graduates In Alexandria Surprised With Laptops

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Students who graduated from Alexandria's youth workforce development program were surprised with 130 laptops to help with their future career paths in the digital age.

Comcast donated the 130 laptops for graduates of the City of Alexandria’s Summer Youth Employment Program. The city's program runs for six weeks and places youth in summer jobs to help them get real-world job experience. According to the city government, 256 young people aged 14 to 21 participated.

"Comcast recognizes the critical importance that skills training, Internet connectivity and access to technology play in career readiness," said Katrina Ashmore, the City of Alexandria's chief of workforce development. "We are grateful for this generous laptop donation from Comcast, which will help these students reach their full potential as they enter a technology-driven workforce."

This is the second year Comcast has donated laptops to Alexandria's youth employment program graduates. The donation is through Comcast's Project UP, a $1 billion commitment to connect people to the internet, promote economic mobility and provide opportunities for new generations of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers and creators. Comcast points to National Skills Coalition research showing one-third of American workers lack basic digital skills despite 92 percent of jobs requiring digital skills. Those jobs requiring one or more digital skill have more earning potential, according to the National Skills Coalition.

"We are passionate about digital skills training and opening doors for the next generation of innovators in Alexandria and beyond," said Misty Allen, vice president of government affairs & community impact for Comcast’s Beltway Region. "The City of Alexandria’s Summer Youth Employment Program is a creative, impactful career development initiative and we are proud to partner together on our shared mission to build a workforce for the future."

In addition to Comcast's donation, AT&T’s provided a contribution to allow five more youth to join the program.

The City of Alexandria’s Summer Youth Employment Program is open to city residents who are between ages 14 and 21, are eligible to work in the U.S. and qualify for free or reduced-price school lunch program. There were 90 participating businesses ranging from the healthcare, automotive and finance industries to education.

"I learned how to present people new information about things happening in Alexandria from years and even decades ago," said Alexandria City High School student Joel Gojela via a city news release. "I felt that I had a good role in helping to improve, and for me to get closer to, the Alexandria community."