Youth Job Center has partnered with Chicago Public Schools and Gage Park High School to support students from Chicago’s South and Southwest sides in pursuing career success after high school, whether their path involves college, training programs, apprenticeships, and more, helping them develop the skills they need to obtain the career they want.

Youth Job Center’s Career Advisor at Gage Park High School, LaLa Bolander, works closely with students, school leaderships, teachers, and counselors to support young people in exploring potential career paths, helping them find the career opportunity that meets their needs, interests, skills, strengths, and passions.

LaLa supports students at all grade levels, working with Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors in the classroom during school days, Tuesday - Friday, leading them in intensive curriculum that has a long and successful history of working with youth from diverse backgrounds at all steps of the career pathway process, leading to the development of valuable executive functioning skills that help youth overcome challenges throughout their lifetime.

LaLa’s availability:

• Tuesday-Thursday, 9AM - 4PM

• Every other Monday 9AM - 4PM

The range of topics covered by Lala in the Freshmen Seminar include:

• Introduction

• Career Exploration

• Networking & Professionalism

• Resumes

• Job Search

• Afterschool Matters Application

The range of topics covered by Lala in the Sophomore Seminar include:

• Introduction

• Application Best Practices/Interview

• Resumes

• Financial Literacy

• Summer Job Applications/Preparation for Job Fair