4-08-2024 8:27pm

Applications for Employers and Youth Open for 2024 Summer Youth Work Experience Program in Somerset and Hunterdon Counties

Donnella Tilery Editor

Employers and young people in Hunterdon and Somerset counties are invited to apply to take part in the 2024 Summer Youth Work Experience Program sponsored by the Greater Raritan Workforce Development (GRWDB).

This marks the fifth consecutive year that the GRWDB is sponsoring the summer youth program with funding from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL). Eight summer programs covering 10 counties were funded this year by the NJDOL.

In the 2023 GRWDB program, 71 youth worked for 38 different employers. Based on that success, the GRWDB has received a state grant of $297,248.00 to support 80 positions; using American Rescue Plan funding, Somerset County is allocating funding for an additional 10 positions, enabling up to 90 youth to get paid work this summer.

For the 2024 GRWDB Summer Youth Employment Program, youth participants can work any 200-hour period between May 20 to October 14. Participants must be between the ages of 16 and 24 and can be in school or out of school. Those accepted into the program will work 180 hours with the employer and complete another 20 hours of online and in-person career-readiness training directed by the GRWDB. The youth participant’s tax-free stipend will be $16.00 an hour, for a total of $3,200.00.

Employer Deadline, April 23

Any private or public employer of any size in Hunterdon and Somerset counties with available part-time positions may apply. These can be outdoor employment opportunities or on-site job work that abides by CDC guidelines. Employer applicants can be from any industry; municipalities looking to fill summer recreational positions or summer projects are welcomed to apply as are area nonprofits looking for office assistance.

The employer Request for Applications (RFAs) for the program, which includes the job description form for the position, can be found on Somerset County’s Purchasing Division website, or at this link. The deadline for applications is Tuesday, April 23.

“We started with eight youth in 2020 and will have 90 participants this year,” said Jeanne Cassano, the GRWDB’s contract compliance and engagement specialist and coordinator for the summer youth program. “This program is having an expanding impact on businesses in our two counties, while offering a valuable introduction to lifelong positive work habits. Other opportunities can happen, too. Three participants last year continued to work with their employer after the summer ended.”

Youth Applications, Deadline May 3

As employer applications are coming in, the GRWDB is accepting separate applications from eligible in-school or out-of-school youth who must live in Hunterdon or Somerset counties and be 16 to 24 years old. Cassano and program staff will work to match the youth applicants with the available positions. Employers and youth will talk prior to the matches being finalized. To obtain an application, visit the home page www.thegrwdb.org or use this link. The deadline to return material is Friday, May 3.

“Employers, youth and their parents began contacting us about this year’s program in January,” said Paul Grzella, GRWDB Director. “We have spent the past three months laying the groundwork for this year’s program, talking about it at events with employers, at school programs and to community members in a variety of venues. Our aim is to continue building on our success. GRWDB staff is available to answer questions and provide assistance so that our employer- and youth-participants have great summers.”

Anyone with questions can contact Cassano at jcassano@co.somerset.nj.us

or call 908-541-5785.

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About the Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board

The GRWDB oversees federally and state-funded career and employment services for businesses and residents in Hunterdon and Somerset counties. Programs and initiatives are guided by a board of private business representatives, labor unions, community-based organizations, educational entities, and other partners who set larger policy initiatives based on metric-based, state-developed data, as well as direct customer and employer feedback. For more information about board services, visit www.thegrwdb.org. Text “onestop” to 565-12.