Summertime is coming, and as the old song says “the livin’ is easy” and that is especially the case for young people who have an opportunity to snag one of the more than 20,000 jobs that will be offered to youth in Los Angeles County this year.
But getting one of these jobs means getting on the ball and registering with the appropriate agencies in the next few weeks. Many of the employment opportunities will be offered through the city of Los Angeles HireLA’s Youth program as well as through L.A. County’s youth employment option.
The city’s program offers opportunities for 14 to 24 year olds living within Los Angeles municipal boundaries; for more information, call (213) 744,7333. The county also has several programs available. One started Feb. 10 and continues through June 30. It specifically targets youth ages 16-18 in families receiving CalWorks benefits. The young people adjust their work schedule to fit school hours and can work for as little as two hours weekly up to 30 hours.
The youth earn $9 per hour, and the money they make does not impact the family’s grant as long as they are not the main person on the case.
The other county program targets 14-21 year olds for jobs that begin July 1. Eligible participants include foster youth, those receiving Cal Fresh, CalWorks, WIC, federal free lunch at school, General Relief as well as low-income families.
Students, who must be county residents, also receive paid training in financial literacy, workplace ethics, as well as advance career exploration. One goal of this segment of the program is to connect youth with careers of the future including STEM and STEAM.
An estimated 12,000 jobs are available through this element of the program which is also seeking businesses to serve as employer sites. Among the requirements is that companies provide the youth with supervision. However, all salaries and other liabilities are the responsibility of the county.
Interested youth and employers can visit the website www.youthjobs.css.lacounty.gov.
The county programs encompass the cities of Inglewood through the South Bay One Stop Center.
There are also programs in a variety of other cities as well. Carson will employ up to 200 youth ages 16 and 17 for up to 100 hours working in various city departments. Interested young people can call (310) 830-7600.
Privately sponsored programs include Jobs For Kids operated by the Holman Community Development Corporation for 14-18 year olds. (Must be in 10th grade by the fall.) The deadline to apply is April 17.
The program operates June 22-July 31 and youth earn $9 per hour for a maximum of 120 hours.
Holman will hold three job preparation certificate classes April 11, 18 and 25, and students must attend all three in order to apply for a job. The free training courses are three hours each day and teach interviewing techniques, work place ethics, customer service and resume preparation.
Holman expects to provide jobs for 30 to 40 youth and is currently looking for employers willing to participate. The cost to sponsor one youth is $1,500, and the cost is tax deductible.
Interested youth can visit the website www.holman-cdc.org.
In order to underwrite their community development programs, Holman will hold its fourth annual gospel brunch fundraiser June 7 at the USC Town and Gown. The cost is $75 and tickets can be purchased in advance by calling (323) 731-0140.
In addition to the job program, Jobs For Kids is sponsoring an entrepreneurship and mentoring training for alumni. Utilizing the Junior Achievement curriculum, participants will learn how to operate a business. They will also join a social enterprise venture created last year.
The American Camp Association, features a find-a-job tool on its website that helps individuals find jobs at day, week-long and seasonal camps in their local area.
Users can go to the website www.acacamps.org and set parameters that include the work setting and state. You can also post your resume to the site as well.
For those who cannot find a job or need more flexibility in their schedule, a number of organizations offer the option of creating a job by starting a business.
The Los Angeles Urban League in partnership with the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), the city of Lawndale and the Citi Foundation is offering a free entrepreneurial training program for youth in grades nine to 12 June 15-26. The deadline to apply for the program is May 22.
The program is limited to 25 youth who will learn how to create a business, develop a business plan and compete for up to $1,000 in start-up funding.
To find out more about the program, go to the website www.laul.org or call (323) 299-9066-ext. 2212.
NFTE will offer the Start-Up Summer program at Lawndale Environmental School.
The Long Beach Small Business Development Center will offer a free, six-week entrepreneurial training program for 18 to 27 year olds at Cal State University Long Beach. The sessions will be held 6-8 p.m. Students will participate in an “elevator pitch” session at the conclusion of the class.
