A city program will help create thousands of Chicago summer jobs.

The Youth Ready Chicago program will provide summer employment for about 19,000 youths between the ages of 14 and 24. The deadline to apply for the jobs is May 29.

“This year, because of the nation’s economic crisis, for some, these summer jobs are more important than ever,” Mayor Richard M. Daley said in a press release. “This year, having a summer job could make the difference between a family being able to pay their bills, or not.

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Some Chicago media jobs will soon be lost as the newspaper industry continues to decline.

The Chicago Tribune recently announced that it will have to cut some jobs. However, according to an article by Editor & Publisher, the Tribune disputed a Crain’s Chicago Business report that the company would have cut 20 percent of its newsroom staff.

The Tribune plans not only to cut jobs in the newsroom, but throughout the paper. The company hasn’t yet announced exactly how many jobs will be lost. At the same time, however, there may be some job expansion in some of the paper’s departments.

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Nearly 1,000 Chicago area jobs will be lost at two of the city’s top companies. Click here to see profiles of more top companies.

About 900 jobs total will be cut at Discover Financial Services and ArcelorMittal, according to an article by the Chicago Tribune.

Discover plans to cut about 500 jobs, mostly at the company’s headquarters, to help better align its cost structure. The layoffs are expected to effect all departments within the company, but not many will involve employees who deal with customers. The company currently employs less than 3,000 workers in Riverwoods, a Chicago suburb, and has about 12,000 workers throughout seven states.

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One company’s closing has resulted in the loss of several Chicago advertising jobs.

Advertising agency JWT has decided to close its Chicago office, meaning about 50 employees will lose their jobs. Following the loss of some large clients, the agency was reduced to a satellite operation of JWT’s New York office.

During 2003, JWT lost one of its major clients, Miller Brewing. Two years ago, one of the agency’s biggest clients, Kraft Foods, pulled almost $200 million worth of business out of JWT. Kraft moved eight major brands from JWT, including Miracle Whip, Kraft Singles and Ritz Crackers to other agencies such as Ogilvy & Mather, Draftfcb, DDB and McGarryBowen.

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