Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes has announced a summer youth employment program that will provide paid internships and work readiness training to teens and young adults in the County. Priority is given to those who are economically disadvantaged or have barriers to employment; however, the program is open to all.
Mercer County’s Summer Youth Jobs Connection, which is being funded by a grant from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development and coordinated by the Mercer County One-Stop Career Center, will benefit more than 100 youth ages 16 to 24 with summer employment meant to encourage a successful transition to the workforce.
“We welcome this opportunity to help young people in our communities acquire skills and knowledge they may need to compete in the job market,” Mr. Hughes said. “A paid internship provides valuable work experience, and employers in Mercer County can help build our future workforce by providing summer jobs and developing young talent at no cost to their company.”
Summer Youth Jobs Connection is an eight-week program that begins July 3 and concludes September 1. Participation is open to Mercer County residents ages 16 to 24 who meet the criteria. Interns will be paid $15 an hour with an opportunity to earn $3,000 for the summer. The program also will provide interns with transportation assistance via bus passes, supportive mentors, and additional assistance for those not returning to school. Target enrollment is a minimum of 115 youth.
Interns’ wages and work readiness training will be paid by Mercer County through the funding provided by the State. In addition to learning new skills and being introduced to new career options, interns will be taught time management, effective communication, business etiquette and more.
Youth interested in the Summer Youth Jobs Connection program are asked to complete a pre-application at https://forms.gle/kBRm5nv1ftJBT5ec6 between April 1 and May 5. Please note that if a substantially larger number of applications are received, a lottery may be used.
Questions? Contact the One-Stop Career Center’s Youth Services Department at 609-989-6206 or [email protected].
Employers interested in the program are asked to complete a questionnaire at https://forms.gle/EgJYJdCxN3Bdjb2d6.
Questions? Contact Kassia Bukosky at 609-989-6066 or [email protected].
