L.A. Youth at Work (LAYAW) is an initiative to help Los Angeles's young adults obtain crucial entry-level job training and work experiences.  Through experience, youth are empowered with the tools to obtain and retain meaningful employment, and to educate and encourage business to invest in their communities by creating job and internship opportunities. LAYAW serves as a stepping stone to future high-skill, high-wage employment.  Through the Work Readiness Certification, LAYAW is able to streamline the hiring process by identifying a work-ready pool of applicants.

In the beginning, LAYAW was created as a City initiative through the L.A. City’s Private Industry Council in partnership with community agencies (including UNITE-LA and the Chamber) to reach youth beyond programs funded by the Jobs Training Program Act and traditional Workforce Investment Act (now known as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act). In 2006, the City’s Education and Workforce Development Department worked with the Chamber and UNITE-LA to transition day-to-day operations outside the City in order to further engage the private sector to offer more jobs and internships to youth participants.  Since those early days, by partnering with the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, UNITE-LA has managed the day-to-day responsibilities of the program.