LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i youth can gain valuable work experience under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act summer employment program, a county news release states. The program is being funded via the County of Kaua‘i’s ARRA Workforce Investment Act Youth Program,
LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i youth can gain valuable work experience under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act summer employment program, a county news release states.
The program is being funded via the County of Kaua‘i’s ARRA Workforce Investment Act Youth Program, AboutFace!, which is operated by Paxen Huli Ke Alo, LLC.
The county received $128,630 for the program, which will serve up to 21 youth.
Youth who are aged 16-24 and are not attending school are the target population for the program, which will try to match eligible participants with worksites that are consistent with their interest and goals.
Key to the success of the program will be finding employers willing to participate and provide employment opportunities between now and September 30, 2009. ARRA funding will cover the cost of wages for the youth participants.
“The goals of the youth summer employment program are to increase work readiness skills and effectively prepare the youth for successful transition into the workforce by developing positive work habits and attitudes,” stated Jan Miyamoto, WIA specialist for the County of Kaua‘i.
She added that participants will be challenged to take responsibility for their learning, to understand and manage their career options, and to develop social skills and a maturity level that will help them interact positively with others.
This is especially important for at-risk students and those who did not complete high school, as summer employment may be one of the few opportunities they have to learn how to successfully enter the workforce.
Employers who participate must be willing to:
• Introduce and reinforce with the youth the rigors, demands, rewards, and sanctions associated with holding a job
• Structure summer employment to impart measurable communication, interpersonal, decision-making, and learning skills. This will assist the youth to understand that to succeed in today’s workplace, jobseekers and current employees need to build relationships with peers, managers, and customers
• Be flexible in working with youth who have issues that may be barriers to employment
• Work closely with the youth program staff
Additionally, the following restrictions apply to employers who participate:
• The provided work experience must not replace the work of employees who have experienced layoffs
• The work experience may not be associated with “any casino or other gambling establishment, aquarium, zoo, golf course, or swimming pool.”
Interested employers should contact Paxen no later than Friday.
For more information, contact Peggy Granda at pgranda@paxen.com, 823-6077 or 346-096; or Lahea Salazar at lsalazar@paxen.com, 823-6077 or 645-6821.
