Evanston hopes to help 600 teens find jobs this summer through the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program, which will host a job fair with more than 20 employers at the end of the month.

The fair will take place at Evanston Township High School, 1600 Dodge Ave., from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 28.

Evanston students ages 14 to 18 must attend at least one Youth Job Center Job Readiness Training session at ETHS to attend the fair. Staff and volunteers from the Youth Job Center, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management and local business owners will lead the trainings and conduct mock interviews and seminars on March 4, 18 and 25.

The jobs offered through the program, which started in 1992, more than tripled from 160 in 2012 to 500 in 2014, said Kevin Brown, youth and young adult program manager for the city.

“Part of that can be attributed to the steadfastness of the mayor and her call to the business community to help the city out in finding employment for young people,” Brown said. “Another part of it also has to do with the improving economy in the country and in our local area.”

A grant of nearly $200,000 awarded to the program by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Youth Recreation Corps also assisted the city in reaching 500 open positions. The city is unsure how many jobs will be available this summer but hopes to surpass 500, Brown told The Daily in an email.

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