Skip to content

Obama Youth Jobs Corps

Helping high school students prepare for a promising future.

President Obama Surprises Obama Youth Jobs Corps Students in Chicago

The Obama Foundation and the OPC partnered with Urban Alliance, a national youth development non-profit, to create the Obama Youth Jobs Corps (OYJC) to increase access to economic opportunities for high school students in some of the most underserved communities in Chicago.

Since launching, Urban Alliance has provided more than 1,700 tenth and eleventh graders from Chicago Public Schools with job skills training and an additional 650 twelfth-graders with intensive workforce readiness training and paid internship experience at businesses through the city.

Over the next three years, Urban Alliance will expand programming to an additional 4,500 students across 10 Chicago Public Schools. The Alliance has a long history of partnering with leading businesses to provide paid, professional internships to high school seniors through its signature High School Internship Program .

Programs by Grade Level

Workforce Readiness Training
Workforce Readiness Training

Sophomores

Eight workforce readiness training sessions throughout the tenth grade to lay the groundwork for future professional development. Sophomores receive training from Chicago educators who have participated in Urban Alliance’s Teacher Training Institute (Opens in a new tab).

Weekly Workforce Development

Juniors

Weekly job skills training sessions discussing professional development, financial literacy, and post-highschool planning.

Weekly Workforce Development
Paid, Professional Internship

Seniors

A 10-month paid internship through Urban Alliance’s High School Internship Program which combines work experience with job skills training, one-on-one mentoring, and support including post-high school planning and alumni support after the internship.

FAQs

Become a partner

A side headshot of President Obama, smiling. He has a medium skin tone and gray hair. He is wearing a white button-down shirt.  Behind him is the Obama Foundation logo in blue.

Sign up for the latest on the Obama Foundation

Get the latest news and updates by signing up for Obama Foundation emails. (All fields required.)

More Obama Foundation Programs

Single Image

Scholars

Meet the new University of Chicago and Columbia University Scholars.

Learn more
Single Image

Voyager Scholarship

For undergraduate students in the 
US committed to pursuing careers in 
public service.

Learn more
Aspect Ratio

Futures Series

Connecting high school students 
looking to explore career pathways with accomplished leaders.



Learn more