NEWS RELEASE
June 18, 2010
State Program Offers Youth Summer Jobs; Businesses That Help Receive Funds for Wages
Teens and young adults who have struggled to find work this summer can breathe a sigh of relief. The Missouri Division of Workforce Development just announced the launch of the 2010 Missouri Summer Jobs Program, which will provide thousands of paid positions to Missourians between the ages of 14 and 24. The new program echoes last summer’s acclaimed Next-Generation Jobs Team program, which put more than 7,000 young Missourians to work in cutting-edge positions all across the state.
“One of the state’s most important strategies for building a strong workforce is to provide younger workers with access to jobs and training that will give them a competitive edge for the careers of tomorrow,” said Julie Gibson, director of the Division of Workforce Development. “This program gives Missouri’s next generation of workers an opportunity to gain valuable experience that will make them more attractive to future employers.”
Alert to the continued high unemployment among teens, the Division of Workforce Development obtained an expedited grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to fund the new program. Like Next-Generation Jobs Team, the program will place youth with private and public sector employers and pay their wages. Gov. Nixon sent a letter to businesses that participated in last year’s program, thanking them for providing “a life-changing experience that helped prepare over 7,000 Missouri youth for careers of the 21st century” and encouraging them “to step forward today and give a young Missourian the opportunity of a lifetime.” Interested youth or businesses can learn more or apply online at summerjobs.mo.gov.
The 2010 Missouri Summer Jobs program is the second major summer work program the state has announced this year. More than 1,000 Missourians between the ages of 17 and 24 are also gaining real-world work experience in the Missouri State Parks Youth Corps program, a partnership between the Missouri Division of State Parks and the Division of Workforce Development.
Just how valuable any summer work experience turns out to be for youth will ultimately be up to the young worker, said Alice Prince, manager of the Youth Services Department for the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment.
“The students who put more into the experience will get more out of it,” Prince said. “The ones who look for opportunities to gain new skills, to develop professional relationships and to explore areas that interest them will end the summer much richer.”
Prince offered the following tips to young people wanting to get the most out of their summer opportunities:
- Understand you are not working for the money, although the money is a great incentive. The focus of work right now is gaining experience.
- Try new things, make mistakes, and count on doing things you do not want to do. You will broaden your horizons, sharpen your skills and develop discipline.
- Pay attention to soft skills. Problem-solving, getting along with others, communicating well — these are skills that will make you attractive to employers no matter the career you choose.
- Make yourself necessary. Learn as much as you can, and become a valuable, irreplaceable asset to your team.
- Take advantage of resources. The statewide network of Missouri Career Centers is not just there for adult job-seekers. You can also take advantage of the personalized career-assistance services these centers provide. Find your nearest center at MissouriCareerSource.com or learn more about workforce services at the Division of Workforce Development’s website at workforce.mo.gov.
For more information, contact Mike Waltman at DWD, 573-526-8267.