VENTURA, CALIF.--A new $1.75 million program, California Youth@Work, hopes to place more than 650 youth in jobs this summer with Ventura County private, nonprofit and public companies. The program is funded by the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and is administered by the Workforce Investment Board of Ventura County (WIB). It is designed to provide early work experience for young people (ages 14 to 24) who might not otherwise have the opportunity to find employment.

The summer jobs program runs from June 2 through September 30, 2009. Job experience will range from 60 to 192 hours over that period, with participants earning $8 per hour. All wages and employer payroll costs will be covered by the program. Participants also will participate in at least eight hours of work readiness activities, including career planning, job search, leadership, teamwork and interpersonal skills.

"California Youth@Work will have a positive impact in Ventura County," says Cheryl Moore, WIB executive director. "Youth will receive work readiness skills training and job experience that will enable them to be more competitive in the workplace. Employers will have an opportunity to guide and prepare motivated young people to become the local workforce of the future”

“The fast, effective launch of this program is a tribute to the growing partnerships between the public and private sectors in Ventura County,” says Alex Teague, WIB chairman and executive vice president of Limoneira Company. Collaboration and leveraging resources are key strategies to developing and sustaining a strong, competitive workforce in our region”

In addition to enlisting the participation of Ventura County employers, the WIB is partnering with two Ventura County youth program providers to administer and coordinate summer jobs activities with other community-based organizations: The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme will coordinate summer activities for 400 youth in Oxnard, Port Hueneme and adjacent unincorporated areas of Ventura County, PathPoint will coordinate summer activities for 140 youth in Ventura, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Piru, Ojai and Oak View and another 120 youth in Moorpark, the Conejo Valley, Simi Valley, Camarillo, Somis and adjacent unincorporated areas.

To learn more about California Youth@Work, employers and youth may call the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme at 805.483.1118 x306 or PathPoint at 805.520.8744 x113, or go to www.wib.ventura.org/summer.

About the Workforce Investment Board
The Workforce Investment Board administers federal workforce development funds that help to support Job & Career Centers (JCC), youth programs, and business services throughout Ventura County. With additional resources from the County of Ventura Human Services Agency, the JCCs provide employment assistance, career training and education services to job seekers, and employee recruitment, customized training and business consulting to local employers. Center services are provided at no cost to job seekers and employers. For more information, call 800-500-7705 or visit www.wib.ventura.org.