Well, even post-pandemic chronic absenteeism remains surprisingly high in some New Jersey school districts, particularly for student groups in urban and city schools, where hundreds of teens disappeared from enrollment rosters to fight it.

For Camden County, organizations launched a new program this summer connecting high schoolers with job training and social service programs.

What they found is a second chance and an opportunity to get back on track.

Ted Goldberg has the story.

At Hope Works in downtown Camden.

People are getting real time experience in things like web design and data entry.

They have to pin where the pipes are, and from there they also shake like if the pipes are working and if they have LEDs so they can call the person or the company.

The nonprofit is training the next generation of coders and other techies, teaching them to prepare websites and prepare themselves for the job market.

I have actually received a lot of help with my social skills.

I usually don't speak much and now I'm like, I'm getting the the skills that I need to communicate more with others.

And they teach a lot about professionalism.

Before I came here, I was also like, really quiet.

I was really nervous about talking to people and talking in front of people.

But like, it really helped me like, develop like social skills.

You know, it gets rid of that, like, anxiety.

Honesty, right?

And Deon pick on our trainees and say, hope Works provides more than just on the job training.

If you don't have food, they provide free peanut butter and jelly, coffee and tea.

They say it's become a big relief for folks in Camden.

If you're feeling down or you need to like talk about your day or anything and you can't get it out, you know, I feel like it were like your mood can really affect your work flow.

We all carry that invisible paper bag with our traumas and problems that we're going to go through each and every day.

So here they provide also the help to get mental help if you need it.

It was such a positive place.

It kept her out of trouble.

She received a stipend for for attending an after school program, and she learned a lot.

Vivian Coley has seen two of her children pass through these doors and use their training to secure full time jobs.

She's excited to see more people come through.

Hope works thanks to a $250,000 program funded partly by taxpayer dollars and mostly through some local groups.

I wholeheartedly believe in the program because not only because of my children, but because the kids in Camden have an opportunity to excel here.

They receive a stipend for attending.

They just learn so much is basically like a family environment.

There's wraparound services here.

It's just an incredible program.

The traditional learning environment is not the best for everyone.

It's not what everyone wants.

And especially coming out of COVID, having to be creative in how we engage our students.

And so this program is just another opportunity to meet our students where they are and to give them the skills that they're looking for to have a pathway beyond school.

Since the pandemic, Camden has seen a lot of students stop coming to school.

This new program aims to connect with kids that have dropped out or help them to stay in school by working here part time.

These are the young adults that businesses wish they had.

This year, young adults with drive, with ambition that want to do something with their lives.

And this is the same time businesses are saying they can't find anyone good to work in their businesses.

We can solve that problem.

We're putting young adults who are ready to work together with businesses who need them.

It's a win win.

17 year old Amir Jones is one of these prospective students.

I like to pursue work on Internet stuff per se, like building websites.

He needs time to decide if this program is for him.

But he likes what he saw during a tour today.

Just the people in general.

The the the the way that they work to their self at their own pace.

And he could possibly find himself on this wall one day.

Is like an assignment we do so.

After then they decide to put it on the walls or the kitchen like that.

You did it.

And I.

You learn something from me and that you was here as well.

Your picture.

Right there.

Are you sitting on the moon?

Yes.

Just like Diane's picture.

People here are shooting for the moon, or at least training for a new career with support on the way there.

In Camden, I'm Ted Goldberg, NJ Spotlight News.