Youth Career Development in Colorado

When you think of Goodwill, you probably don't think about the job training programs we provide for our city's high school students. We're a city with a large population of at-risk youth and every hour of assistance we provide through our high school job training initiatives helps lower that overall risk. We help students to believe in themselves, their potential and discover career paths that they can love and embrace. Hope requires education – Goodwill's youth job training works to do that each and every day.

PROBLEM: Metro Denver Teen Drop Out Rate - One of the Worst in the Nation

• In metro Denver's urban schools, only 46.8% of students graduate from high school
• Dropouts cost the Colorado economy 4.2 billion dollars in lost wages over the course of their lifetimes
• Teens that drop out of high school are much more likely to be teen parents, commit crimes and rely on welfare
• Only 19% of minority students in Colorado are ready for college when they graduate from high school
• 67% of all new jobs today require some post-secondary training and most Colorado teens are not prepared

SOLUTION: Goodwill's High School Career Development Program

Goodwill Industries of Denver has an extensive high school career development program that assists teens in formulating a career path prior to graduation from high school. Not only does this planning and preparation provide job training to ready them for the workforce or post-secondary education. It also motivates them to finish high school and reach for their dreams.

High School Youth Job Training Program Highlights:

• Career development teachers employed by Goodwill are placed in 30 area high schools
• Career development programs impact more than 18,000 teenagers in our community last year

Volunteer Opportunities in High School Career Development

Career Panel

Share your story of success in the classroom and motivate teens about the exciting possibilities within your career. You'll do this in a group setting with other professionals and can choose any one of our 30 area high schools.

Mock Interviews

Help students gain the confidence they need along with valuable interviewing skills that will prepare them for both post-secondary interviews (colleges/scholarships) and future job interviews.

Guest Speaking

Share your education, work and life experiences in a high school classroom and help our youth understand how to navigate and take advantage of life's opportunities. Be an integral part of getting them excited about their future!

Youth Mentor

Work with a teen one-on-one and help them realize their potential and how to leverage their strengths in the real world. Build job skills, set education and career goals, explore future opportunities and prepare them for life beyond high school. Click here to learn more about youth mentoring in Denver, Colorado.

I Want to Volunteer – How Can I Help Denver's At-Risk Youth?

We're grateful for your assistance, whether it is one hour a week or one hour each semester. Please call 303-650-7714 or email volunteer@goodwilldenver.org for more information.