I met Andre Joseph at a recent NYC meetup. He is the Deputy Director, Corporate Relations and leader for the NYC Ladders for Leaders Program.

Let me tell you about the program and why it is essential for metro NYC employers.

NYC Ladders for Leaders is a corporate internship program that was launched by Mayor Bloomberg in 2005. It is a joint initiative of the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development and the NYC Commission on Women’s Issues. The goal is to establish a foothold in corporations for youth who lack insider connections but bring to the table an abundance of enthusiasm and dedication.

Enthusiasm and dedication - can we ever have enough of these?

Andre tells me that Ladders interns are:

Qualified: We recruit high school and college students between the ages of 16 and 21 who have been Interns are recommended by community-based organizations based on potential.

Prepared: All participants receive six months of rigorous pre-employment training focused on workplace etiquette, interview prep, resume writing and other essential skills.

Motivated: Ladders interns are eligible for partial competitive college scholarships, free college preparatory workshops and SAT courses, and the opportunity to receive round-trip airline tickets to visit colleges.

Focused: The internship experience is complemented by regular workshops on work readiness, financial literacy, college orientation, health, leadership development, and other issues.

Here's where our community can help Andre: The NYC Ladders for Leaders program needs new sponsors for the 2009 program. Businesses can support this program by providing summer internship opportunities and/or donating funds to support program costs, including college scholarships and college preparatory test courses for eligible participants.

This program is essential as it will help re-build a strong community foundation - a foundation that has taken its lumps during this recession. A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link and NYC Ladders for Leaders is an essential program for strengthening your link to your community. Most of all, you can suss out talent earlier and guide their development. Can it get any better than this for a recruiter?

If your company might be interested, call Andre at (212) 442-6256. I won't provide his email because you really should call him.