Local teens gain job skills through summer internships
Students participate in a cooking class put on by Paso Robles Public Library.
YouthWorks interns developing skills through Paso Robles Housing program
– This summer, 15 local teens from underserved areas throughout north San Luis Obispo County are learning on-the-job and life skills as part of a paid internship program with Bank of America and Paso Robles Housing Authority. For the fourth year in a row, a grant from Bank of America has enabled the PRHA’s growing YouthWorks program to pair migrant students with student mentors for paid workforce development opportunities.
Part of Paso Robles Housing Authority, YouthWorks has been working with low-income teens to provide hands-on job experience and essential job skills training for more than ten years. The interns work with the Oak Park affordable housing community to develop skills in farming, community area janitorial tasks, and office work such as payroll. They also gain important skills such as interview preparation, career exploration, financial aid, financial wellness, and participate in a new program with the local library to engage local teens in cooking projects.
Interns participate in career interest assessments.
With changing economic environments and the Central Coast job market shifting towards an upswing, young people need access to workforce experience and career skills-building opportunities. The YouthWorks program has proven successful in aligning students with skills needed to secure paid jobs, with approximately 95 percent of YouthWorks students over the age of sixteen going on to other paid employment.
“At YouthWorks we aim to intervene early and often in the lives of our students to help them achieve outcomes more positive than statistics would predict,” said Betian Webb, director of community services at Paso Robles Housing Authority. “Local partnerships and support from organizations such as Bank of America allow us to continue to provide youth with employment experience, a paycheck, and encouragement to create their own future story.”
YouthWorks teen intern harvests produce produced on the YouthWorks farm.
Along with the YouthWorks program, two rising seniors from San Luis Obispo High School have been selected for the Bank of America Student Leaders program. They have been assigned roles with local nonprofit Habitat for Humanity San Luis Obispo County to learn about local community needs while developing leadership and workplace skills, and earning competitive wages. This year alone, the company is connecting more than 3,400 teens and young adults nationwide to a variety of jobs and internships.
“Partnering with impactful local organizations to address important issues like youth workforce development and pathways to employment is part of our commitment to creating real change in San Luis Obispo,” said Greg Bland, president, Bank of America San Luis Obispo. “Investing in nonprofits helps provide the resources and support needed to help build thriving communities long-term.”
For more information, visit the Paso Robles Housing Authority website or call (805) 237-3880.
