Kickoff of 2012 summer job hunt

RBC I Today, the Department of Labor and Employment announced the official start of the 2012 Governor’s Summer Job Hunt.  Each year, the program helps tens of thousands of high school and college students map a course for the uncharted territory of a summer job.  Administered by state and county-run workforce centers across Colorado, the Governor’s Summer Job Hunt connects young people with employers willing to give them a chance to learn, put skills to use and see firsthand how a business operates.
The Governor’s Summer Job Hunt is one of the oldest programs of its kind in the country, says Department of Labor and Employment Executive Director Ellen Golombek.  “It was established by Governor Richard Lamm in 1981, at a time when teen unemployment was particularly high.  Over the last three decades, in good economic times and bad, it has established a proven track record.  Last summer, 33,137 high school and college students received assistance statewide.  Professionals in every workforce center are ready to work with young job seekers as the program launches its 32nd year of operation.”
For teens who are feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of landing a summer job, the program gives them the tools and self-confidence to be successful.  The Frisco Workforce Center offers assistance in résumé writing, interviewing skills and job search strategies to help young people gain a competitive edge in their job hunt.  This year, the Workforce Center is recruiting youth ages 16–21 for a new youth work readiness program called “Win at Work, Win at Life, Achieve Success!”
“This youth work readiness program helps young adults build the groundwork to their future,” says Jill Seal of the Workforce Center.  “They will learn how to make every employer want to hire them and fight to keep them.”  High school and college students are urged to learn about their eligibility for the program and how to earn up to $650 by contacting Jill Seal with the Frisco Workforce Center at 970-668-5360.
Long before most students have given any thought to a summer job, Seal is contacting local employers, urging them to give a teen job seekers a chance. Youth-friendly employers are the backbone of the Governor’s Summer Job Hunt, she says, “and because we’re a small community, we have a good connection with local employers.”
The ultimate value of a summer job isn’t just the paycheck young workers earn.  It’s making an investment in tomorrow’s workforce, emphasizes Julie Berge who administers the Governor’s Summer Job Hunt program statewide.  “It’s one thing to tell young people the value of knowing how to spell or do simple math, but it’s something else for them to recognize how important it is to get it right when they’re preparing a letter for work or having to make change.  It makes the classroom learning real.”
Employers can’t teach their summer job workers everything, of course, but opening the door to the marketplace can be a valuable companion piece to what they’ve learned in school, helping them see how classroom and textbook learning can be applied to real-world situations  In addition to enforcing successful work habits like keeping to schedules and staying organized, the experience teaches young people the value of commitment, about gaining confidence and working with others.
Summer unemployment for youth has almost doubled since the recession and even as the economic recovery continues, most teens will struggle this summer to get the work experience they need.  That’s why the Governor’s Summer Job Hunt is more important than ever before.
“We hope our local business owners will make a place for young people by providing job opportunities — especially for juniors and seniors who will soon be graduating and looking for full-time, permanent work experience,” Seal says. “We hope businesses will see ways to create opportunities for youth by making them partners in community development.”
Summer job seekers and employers can obtain more information about this free service by visiting the Department of Labor and Employment’s website at www.colorado.gov/cdle/youth or by calling Rangely Workforce Center (500 Kennedy Drive) at 970-675-5072, or the Meeker Workforce Center (345 Market St.) at 970-878-4211.