Oneida County Unveils Program To Expand Job Opportunities For Local Youth

Oneida County is unveiling its Emerging Worker Recovery Program.

County Executive Anthony Picente says the program will provide expanded employment opportunities to high school and college student.

Picente says it will also help local employers bolster their depleted workforces.

“The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are still being felt across the board,” Picente said. “Summer jobs, internships and the other work experiences that help shape the careers of young people were disrupted the past two years and our local businesses and organizations are struggling to find and keep employees. This program will address the needs of both and help Oneida County’s workforce get back on the right track.”

First introduced in Picente’s State of the County Address earlier this year, the program will be funded through the American Rescue Plan Act.

It will expand on the County’s Summer Youth Employment Program to provide jobs for 14 to 19 year olds year-round and will also create enhanced internship programs for local college students.

To ensure youth in school have time for their studies, the year-round Youth Employment Program has a cap of 20 hours per week for any in-school youth during a full week of classes.  Youth employed at summer work sites will generally work a total of between 60 and 100 hours in July and August.

College Corps interns cannot displace existing workers, and will generally be limited to 30 or fewer hours per week during the school year.

Participants will be paid minimum wage, which is currently $13.20 an hour.

Application materials for high school students, college students, potential employers and work sites are available on the Workforce Development page of the Oneida County website.