About NYC Ladders for Leaders:
183 New York City high school and college-aged youth recently celebrated their graduation from Ladders for Leaders, the City's innovative corporate internship program. The graduation was held at Gracie Mansion before an audience of corporate sponsors, mentors, and proud parents. Ladders for Leaders was launched by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg in October 2007 to provide inner-city youth with quality work experiences and the resources they need to excel in college.
NYC Ladders for Leaders is a joint initiative of CWI and DYCD designed to connect high-potential youth to successful professional mentors through seven-week summer internships in the public and private sectors. Interns completed a rigorous six-month pre-employment training program prior to the start of their internships; attended regular Friday workshops on work readiness, college orientation, and leadership development; and were also provided with college preparatory courses by Kaplan, Inc. College scholarships are donated by program partners to participants who successfully complete the program and enroll in college or university.