By Associated Press
The Pace Community Action Agency is initiating a project that could provide 30 high school students in Daviess and Knox counties with paying summer jobs. PACE obtained stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and is using those funds to created the Summer Youth Employment Initiative.
“The program will offer our youth a range of work experiences and learning activities to help them gain skills, choose careers and to encourage them to pursue advanced studies,” PACE Chief Executive Bertha Proctor said.
PACE is partnering with local businesses in the two counties that will need summer help. High school student employees will be paid from the funds obtained by PACE, while the businesses receive the help.
“The idea is a win-win,” said PACE employee Bethany Bruner. “They (the businesses) get the help at no cost to them, and the students get the experience.”
In addition to work experience, the program participants will have various training opportunities such as First Aid and workplace etiquette.
There is also an internship program being initiated with the funds. Any college junior or senior is eligible for application. PACE will have seven interns at its office filling a variety of positions including marketing coordinator, summer coordinator and computer technician.
All applicants, high school- and college-aged, will go through a formal interviewing and hiring process as if they were applying for a position with PACE. The nonprofit organization expects the Summer Youth Employment Initiative to not only provide the participants with valuable experience, but will also stimulate the spending.
“Money spent in a community turns over seven times, so the money we receive from this project should turn over in our community,” Proctor said.
PACE is excited about offering this opportunity to the young people in the area.
“This is truly stimulus funds at work,” Proctor said. “We’ve had significant impact on our local community.”
