This Way ONward Boston is a retail training program for youth ages 16-24 in Greater Boston. Funded and sponsored by Old Navy, This Way ONward (formally known as This Way Ahead) provides intensive job training and paid summer internships for over 75 youth annually. The program consists of four parts:
Job Readiness Workshops: These are intensive 10-12 week paid workshops focusing on basic job skills, with a special emphasis on job readiness skills needed to succeed in a customer service industry such as retail.
Interview and Apply phase: After completion of the workshops, about 80% of participants are invited to apply for 35 summer paid internships. Applications are done online and participants sign up and attend individual or group interviews.
Summer paid internships: This Way ONward offers 35 paid summer internships annually at Greater Boston Old Navy stores. Managers choose from the pool of applicants and This Way ONward job coach provides in-store and workshop supports to interns during the 10 week summer internships with the goal of having more than 85% of the interns receive a permanent part-time or seasonal job offer at the end of their internship.
Direct to Hire: This Way ONward works with The Work Force and other youth job training programs to identify 5-10 youth annually who are ready to work at Old Navy under This Way ONward’s Direct to Hire Model. These youth might require a little training prior to applying, but they are mostly job ready and able to successfully perform as a direct hire at Old Navy.
This Way ONward Boston youth largely consist of residents from Cambridge and Boston Housing Authorities, though some in Somerville Housing Authority and other surrounding low-income housing providers. This Way ONward works closely with the Boston Private Industry Council to recruit youth in Boston and provide on-going support to youth.
