Delta Air Lines has pledged to hire at least 100 young people for their first job during the coming year as part of the First Job Compact, an initiative announced earlier this year by President Obama. The program focuses on connecting millions of young people who are out of school and not currently working with real entry-level employment opportunities.
Ed Bastian, Delta’s chief executive officer, shared a personal memory of his own first job in upstate New York, where he worked on a road crew cleaning highways and directing traffic in construction zones. In a LinkedIn video message he noted how formative that experience was.
“We can all remember the impact that first job had on each one of us,” Bastian said. “At Delta we have 80,000 employees … all people providing real value and real service to our customers, and I look forward to bringing the next hundred on to join our family.”
Delta’s commitment is supported by a social media campaign using the hashtag #FirstJob on platforms like Facebook and Twitter to reach younger audiences. The airline is also expanding partnerships with nonprofit organizations and workforce programs to provide training and skills development so opportunity youth are prepared to join the workforce.
Delta emphasized that meaningful first jobs are important to a healthy global economy. The airline is committed to hiring at least 100 opportunity youth over the next year for a variety of front-line positions that do not require prior experience, creating pathways for young people to gain workplace skills, build resumes, and pursue longer-term careers.
As part of the First Job Compact, participating employers agree to identify entry-level jobs and internships suitable for workers aged 16 to 24 with little or no experience; to collaborate with nonprofits and other groups to recruit opportunity youth; to create onboarding and support plans that help new hires succeed; and to measure and report how hiring young workers delivers business value.
Young people interested in positions at Delta are encouraged to apply online. Applicants should select the #FirstJob option when asked how they learned about the role to ensure their application is considered under the program.