HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Sydney Hardeman already has a job working at Mcdonald's.
And the Jefferson High sophomore is ready to put the money she's earned to good use.
"Actually, I get my license tomorrow and I've been saving for a while to get a car," said Hardeman.
Hardeman and these other students at Jefferson High School are learning skills to help them find jobs.
The program is put together by the Tampa Police Department and is called Shielding Our Teens.
The students learn resume building, how to handle an interview and how to dress for success.
"I think this would help a lot of people. Like I know some of my friends that want to get jobs. This would help them really take that step, knowing what they really need to do to get that far," said Hardeman.
Interim Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw says in his 27 years on the job, he's seen that when the community comes together with programs like this, it keeps teens out of trouble.
"The average age that we've seen involved in homicides involving a firearm is 17. But any youth that is involved is something that we do, whether it's a program like Shielding our Teens or Police Athletic League, whatever we can do to help our youth is what we are here for," said Bercaw.
At the end of the three-week program, the teens meet potential employers and hopefully get a job.
The Shielding Our Teens program will be held at Jefferson High School, Chamberlin High School, Hillsborough High School and Middleton High School.
