YouthForce Empowers Tennessee Teen Career Exploration After School

“What job do you want after high school?” This million-dollar question can leave some teens buzzing with excitement and others breaking out in a cold sweat.

While school career tests can shed some light, nothing beats diving headfirst into real-world job experience — something 79% of high school students want, yet only 2% have achieved, according to a 2023 American Student Assistance study.

In the hours after school, Boys & Girls Clubs help young people secure their first jobs, explore entrepreneurship and practice money management. One such program is YouthForce at Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley. Since 2021, the Papa Johns Foundation has supported teen workforce readiness programs like this at Boys & Girls Clubs across the country through their Building Community Fund – granting nearly $900,000 to date.

Read more about how YouthForce empowered Chris, Nick and Leilani to map out their futures.

How Chris Is Forging a Future in Metal

Chris was drawn to welding for its cool factor, hands-on nature and good pay. As a high school senior, he joined YouthForce at the Tennessee Valley Boys & Girls Club after his mom discovered it was the perfect fit for his passion. There, Chris attended three welding camps, learning new skills like MIG welding and tackling creative projects like welding roses and statues.

“YouthForce really gave me a ‘gift basket’ of possibilities,” he says. “I tried many things I’d never done before and feel ready to start my future.”

In addition to welding, Chris’s YouthForce instructors grew his confidence, communication skills and answered questions about applying for trade school. Chris is now enrolled at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology, on his way to becoming a pipe or structural welder.

“A lot of my friends are indecisive about what they want to do,” he says. “I just tell them to try out YouthForce and see if it inspires them the way it inspired me.”

How Nick Gained the Freedom to Create

Torn between welding and IT, Nick joined YouthForce at the urging of his mother to try his hand at both. “I wanted to get a better sense of my future before making a choice I might regret later,” he says.

The creative freedom in YouthForce’s cybersecurity camp steered Nick toward IT. “The instructor gave us an assignment to build a basic website with no specific guidelines, which really appealed to me,” he says. “It showed me that a career in IT can offer more opportunities to be inventive.”

YouthForce also gave Nick an introduction to coding as well as practice working in a team. After high school graduation, Nick joined the Air National Guard, where he now works as an IT professional.

“YouthForce was truly the most creative and beneficial program I’ve been in,” Nick says. “We learned to balance our strengths and communicate as a team to succeed.”

How Leilani Charted Her Path to Healthcare

When Leilani learned about the YouthForce nursing camp at the Tennessee Valley Club, she knew she had to join. The camp gave her hands-on lessons on the human body, including practicing nursing techniques on the hospital robots at Pellissippi State Community College.

“I got to treat the robots as if they were real patients,” Leilani says. “Now when I graduate, I’ll be more prepared.”

YouthForce also taught Leilani professional skills like opening a bank account and depositing checks — even helping her land her first job. She plans to attend Pellissippi for two years before transferring to UT Medical School.

“YouthForce is a great opportunity because it provides job experience and an understanding of what life may be like in the outside world,” Leilani says.

Always try your best, be responsible, work well with others. These are essential skills needed to succeed in any job — and it’s never too early to learn. Through BGCA’s partnership with the Papa John’s Foundation, teen career exploration is growing in communities nationwide, equipping young people with the skills and experiences to lead our country forward. Read more about how Boys & Girls Clubs are shaping tomorrow’s workforce.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Partnership with Papa Johns

The Papa Johns Foundation has united with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to support communities and work together to develop the next generation of leaders. Together, these organizations equip young people with the experiences and resources they need to succeed in school, career and life. Read more about how The Papa Johns Foundation and Boys & Girls Clubs of America empower youth to graduate from high school fully prepared with a plan for the great futures that lay ahead of them.