The White House has a request for app developers around the country: help young people find summer jobs.

It’s the administration’s first-ever “Code Sprint,” an open-source development free-for-all — sort of like an Iron Chef competition for coders.

The secret ingredient? The government’s “Summer Jobs+” API, a search tool designed to help young people find work while they’re home from school during the summer months.

Summer Jobs+ is specifically targeted at low-income and underprivileged young people, whose families often rely on their extra earnings in the summer to put food on the table or help finance next year’s school supplies. It’s meant to help kids aged 16-24 find summer jobs, internships, mentorships and training programs to keep them improving their chances of landing a stable career after graduation.

The White House’s database is a gold mine of opportunities such as these, and it’s turning to the app development community to write software for Internet browsers, cellphones and social media platforms.

“We’re excited to tap the collective knowledge and innovation of the app developer community,” reads a White House blog post written by Brian Forde, advisor to the chief technology officer.

Timing for the Code Spring couldn’t be better. Youth unemployment is at a 60-year high, and many an altruistic app developer would jump at the chance to help solve that problem.

Forde went on to hint at what the White House is looking for.

“Some ideas we’d love to see include an easy way to receive job opportunities through SMS, localized job search apps for the city you live in, map based interfaces or easy way to create summer training playlists that help youth plan a summer of job skills development,” he wrote.

Coders have until Monday, April 9 at 8 a.m. ET to submit their apps. The best submissions will be featured on WhiteHouse.gov.

Will you develop an app for the White House? Let us know in the comments below.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, lillisphotography

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