Youth Employment Program Earns Top L.A. County Award

The highly impactful Youth At Work program offers youth paid opportunities to develop skills in customer service, leadership, mentoring, and community engagement while helping with various programs and projects at Los Angeles County parks.

2 minute read

October 23, 2023, 10:00 AM PDT

By Clement Lau


The Youth At Work program was recently awarded the Gold Eagle, the top award given by Los Angeles County's Quality and Productivity Commission (QPC) at its 36th Annual Productivity and Quality Awards Gala. The QPC was created by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors to lead the way in carrying out a program of productivity improvement, focusing on the quality of services provided to county residents, as well as productive delivery of those services.

The highly impactful Youth At Work program is offered through a partnership between the Departments of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and Parks and Recreation (DPR). It focuses on youth between age 14 and 24, providing them paid work experience, training, and career development at County parks and recreational facilities. By working on various programs and projects, such as the Parks After Dark (PAD) program and the Puente Hills Landfill Park design process, youth from underserved populations and communities develop skills in customer service, leadership, mentoring, and community engagement. These experiences help participants to become work-ready for immediate and long-term employment opportunities and administrative assignments. 

Youths between the ages of 14 and 24 are in a critical developmental stage that require active engagement in education and employment. Specifically, at-risk youth face additional barriers to employment due to lack of opportunities to develop skills and education, support services, barriers to transportation, and financial literacy. L.A. County recognizes the importance of providing equitable access opportunities for youth that historically have been marginalized from educational, social, and employment opportunities that provide economic mobility.

Wednesday, October 18, 2023 in Los Angeles County Quality and Productivity Commission

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight