Baltimore introduces new employment program for Squeegee kids

"Squeegee Kids" is the term used to refer to kids or adults or anyone who uses a washcloth or viper to clean vehicle windows stuck in traffic in exchange for money.

With the ongoing labor crisis especially in the hospitality sector, Baltimore has come up with a way to employ these Squeegee kids. An employment program will be launched in Baltimore next month which will pair squeegee kids with jobs in hospitality. This is part of the city's 90-day Squeegee action plan. The program is developed in partnership with Canopy by Hilton. 10 city youths who've worked as squeegee kids will be provided job training and will work at the Canopy Hotel in Baltimore's Harbor Point. They will rotate between roles as bellhops, maintenance staff, and working at the hotel's restaurant. During the training period, officials in charge will connect the kids with any facilities they need such as housing or healthcare. 

Mayor Brandon Scott's administration says that this program is an attempt to help the kids who work the busy intersections of Baltimore. The presence of squeegee workers at intersections has been a talking point before. Tourists and visitors unfamiliar with the practice often find it uncomfortable and sometimes this has even led to physical altercations. Businesses within the city have complained that if it drives away the visitors, it affects their businesses. City officials have said that squeegee workers are a mirror of the long-standing poverty problem in Baltimore. Click here to find job vacancies in the hospitality sector.

Source: The Washington Post