Birmingham Promise Brings High School Seniors to the Center of Hope
By Cyrondys Jackson
Birmingham City high school seniors spent a day learning valuable workforce and career skills at The Salvation Army Greater Birmingham Area Command’s Center of Hope, as part of a city sponsored initiative that helps students gain real world work experience, while earning money for college.
According to its website, The Birmingham Promise, founded in 2020, has provided $3.4 million in tuition assistance to approximately 800 graduates. Through the internship component of the program, students are hired and placed at paid internships with local companies in curated industries.
“Today, the Birmingham Promise interns are participating in professional development on networking, personal branding, and career assessments provided by Mr. Calvin Littlejohn, founder and President of Career LIFE,” said Kirk Mitchell, Senior Program Manager, The Birmingham Promise.
Mitchell said the internships and strategic career development sessions are a “game changer” for students, by exposing them to professional environments and further cultivating their individual and collective talents.
The program pairs scholarship and work basked learning opportunities designed to prepare students for options beyond high school that will provide upward mobility and self-sufficiency.
If you or a Birmingham City School’s senior would like more information, please visit the link below:
https://birminghampromise.org/about/
