Paso Robles teens gain skills with YouthWorks internships
Summer interns are working with the Oak Park affordable housing community
– This summer 12 local teens from underserved areas throughout San Luis Obispo County are learning on-the-job skills as part of a paid internship program with Bank of America and Paso Robles Housing Authority.
For the third year in a row, a grant from Bank of America has enabled the PSHA’s YouthWorks program to pair six migrant students with six student mentors to work for the summer.
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. This summer’s interns are working with the Oak Park affordable housing community to develop skills in farming, community area ground maintenance, and office work such as payroll. The students also gain important skills such as interview preparation, career exploration, financial aid, financial wellness, and even access to a robotics program.
The YouthWorks program has proven successful in aligning students with skills needed to go on and secure paid jobs. Approximately 95 percent of YouthWorks students over the age of sixteen go 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.”
“By providing the pathways and resources for young adults to gain the work skills and leadership experience they need to succeed, we are investing in San Luis Obispo County’s long-term economic growth,” said Greg Bland, president, Bank of America San Luis Obispo. “The YouthWorks program is just one example of how we connect people to meaningful employment resources while also instilling the importance of giving back to your community.”
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