Youths learn job skills through work in community

Youths learn job skills through work in community
By Kendra Richards • karichards@stcloudtimes.com • July 16, 2009

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Youths from Benton and Stearns counties are helping themselves and their community through a program funded by federal stimulus dollars that is intended to prepare them for their futures.



Stearns-Benton Employment & Training Council, a local training partner of the Minnesota WorkForce Center of St. Cloud, is working with CareerONE, a summer jobs program, to give youths the skills and experience employers need. They receive a work-readiness certificate when they finish the program.

"We want to give them a successful start on their career and to certify them for employment," said Sally Brenden, deputy director of SBETC.

The $601,000 for the CareerONE program came from the Department of Labor's stimulus money, routed through the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

The stimulus money covers the entire cost of the program, paying the youths, supervisors and SBETC employees who do the recruitment and determine eligibility. It is also pays for training, transportation, safety equipment, support services, uniforms, T-shirts, food and use of St. Cloud State University's facilities as the base of operation.

Opportunity

The youths are from low-income families in Stearns and Benton counties. They earn a stipend of $55 a day, and they can earn an additional $100 bonus, Brenden said.

"It is a wonderful opportunity for them to make a nice amount of money," Brenden said.

There are two sessions that run seven hours a day, Monday-Thursday, for four weeks. The first session, which began June 22 and runs through today, is for workers ages 14-17, and the July 20 to Aug. 13 session is for 18- to 24-year-olds.

"It's a wonderful opportunity for youth to demonstrate they have work credentials potential and to become an excellent employee," Brenden said. "This program is all about the youth. We surround them with honor and wonderful staff so they can do amazing things for the community, make money and work hard to find and start a career."

Varied experience

Twenty employers signed up to work with the program in the St. Cloud area — profit and nonprofit. More than 190 youths are working on their projects