Prince George’s County launches largest district youth jobs program in Oxon Hill

Prince George’s County officials turned an Oxon Hill announcement into a test of whether local government can still deliver first jobs at scale. Councilmember Edward Burroughs III launched the District 8 Youth and Young Adult Jobs Program on June 10, saying it is aimed at residents ages 15 to 24 and is being billed as the largest youth workforce investment ever led by a single county district.

The stakes are bigger than a summer paycheck. One rollout tied to Joan’s House said the program is designed to connect 500 young people to paid jobs and training opportunities, while a related District 8 Young Adult Jobs Program announced in February said it would create 275-plus paid positions for residents ages 18 to 24. Burroughs’ office has framed the effort as a year-round pipeline built around paid work, job training, mentorship and professional development, not a one-time seasonal hiring drive.

The timing matters in a county where young people have long relied on summer jobs for transit money, spending money and a first line on a resume. Prince George’s County already runs a Summer Youth Enrichment Program for residents ages 14 to 24, with work experiences in community organizations, private-sector companies and government agencies. The new District 8 program adds another layer in a countywide effort to keep teens and young adults connected to work.

The push also follows the loss of Six Flags America and Hurricane Harbor, which announced in May 2025 that they would close after the 2025 season. County Council leaders called the shutdown a significant blow to children and families, citing the loss of safe, accessible and engaging places for young people and a seasonal employer that had long hired local students. County Executive Aisha N. Braveboy said redevelopment of the site should prioritize jobs, sustainable growth and long-term economic success for Prince George’s County.

In that context, the District 8 program is being judged less as a public-relations rollout than as a workforce pipeline. If the county can move hundreds of young residents into paid work, especially in Oxon Hill and other District 8 neighborhoods, it will help replace some of the opportunity gap left by the amusement park closure. If it falls short, the county will still be left with the same hard question that drove the announcement: where Prince George’s County teenagers and young adults will find reliable work, skills and a path into steadier employment.