67°
WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. - The days are getting longer and the beach is beckoning, but its time for many Westchester County students to get to work for the summer, that is.
The unemployment rate for teens between 16-19 was 25 percent in April, up from 24.5 percent in April 2011, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This means competition is stiff among youth in the job market.
Westchester County is ready for them. County Executive Robert Astorino has announced on the Westchester.gov website initiatives that will help teenagers (ages 16 and over) and young adults to find and procure summer jobs and internships.
Jobs available for Westchester County kids include parks and pool attendants, lifeguards, Playland ticket-takers, cashiers, ride operators, laborers and office workers.
Salaries depend on the job title, work involved and experience required. There is no maximum age limit. Preference will be given to Westchester County residents.
The College Internship Program is a clearinghouse that matches college students with businesses in Westchester that seek interns. It also provides local college students internship opportunities with local businesses.
The Private Sector Summer Jobs Initiative encourages local businesses to hire youth (18-24). Through this program in 2011, some 200 young people were hired by 50 businesses through this program, which generated $60,000 in salaries. Additionally, 25 of these youth landed permanent jobs when the summer ended.
The Summer Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Employment Program creates summer jobs for kids and young adults ages 14-20 from income-eligible families. The program is paid for with state money and subsidizes the wages of the youth whose families are receiving pubic assistance or have family income less than 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.
Another new initiative is Westchester Putnam Internships Connex, an internship portal created by the Westchester Putnam One-Stop Employment Center, as well as by local colleges and the business community.
There also is New York Youth Works, a state program for low-income teens and young adults between ages 16-24 who reside in Mount Vernon, New Rochelle and Yonkers.
"The best way to combat youth unemployment is by creating job opportunities," Astorino said on the website. "These programs are designed to make it easier for businesses to connect with qualified teenagers and young adults."
Click here to follow Daily Voice Armonk and receive free news updates.
