PIC Summer Youth Work Programs A Success!

This summer the Private Industry Council successfully managed two summer youth work experience programs. The Summer Youth Employment and Youth Work Learning programs were the result of a partnership between the Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette, Inc. and the Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Investment Board. Collectively the programs provided 290 youth with meaningful and practical work experiences at local municipalities, school districts, townships, governmental offices, and nonprofit organizations throughout Westmoreland and Fayette Counties.

Youth ages 16-18 participated in the Youth Work Learning Program. They were placed with school districts throughout Fayette and Westmoreland counties. Kalea Holmes, a student at Valley High School within the New Kensington-Arnold School District, learned that there is a proper way to wash walls. "I saw my mom wash walls before, but I didn't know there was a certain way you had to do it," she said. She also learned time management by juggling cheerleading practice and summer work. The Youth Work Learning Program provided participants with one day of career awareness and job search activities.

Youth ages 18-24 participated in the Summer Youth Employment Program. They were placed in clerical, maintenance, custodial, and labor positions. Each worksite provided youth with a worksite orientation prior to starting their employment. Supervising staff modeled positive work ethics while providing youth the opportunity to learn new skills.

Both programs also provided youth the opportunity to work closely with existing employees to learn valuable transferrable skills and the expectations for entry level hiring. All participants were evaluated by their worksite supervisor and provided feedback on their performance.

Victoria Kenes, who also participated last year, said "I have learned many things in this program that have helped prepare me for college as well as everyday life. This program allowed me to learn the skills to become more confident in speaking with the public and has also helped to sharpen my skills in organization and time management."

Butch Hower, maintenance supervisor for participants at Friendship Hill National Historic Site, taught participants trail maintenance, how to properly operate machinery, and the importance of wearing appropriate safety gear. Participants at Fort Necessity worked in the Sales and Interpretation Departments. Youth spent their day either assisting visitors, giving tours dressed in period costumes, or participating in soldier reenactments.

Work Sites like Greater Latrobe Community Network (GLCN), a non-profit, volunteer-run project, allowed summer youth participants to embark on new and innovative projects. Summer Youth Employment program participants Nick McCurdy, Scott Miller and Robin Doherty assisted in every aspect of GLCN's latest project. Site supervisor, Jack Doherty said, "The GLCN's latest undertaking is its most ambitious yet. The fourth quarter of this year will see the beta launch of LatrobeTV.com." According to Doherty, "LatrobeTV will be a virtual television channel available for 24/7 online viewing". The summer youth participants helped choose and configure necessary hardware and tested more than 25 pieces of video editing software. They also had the opportunity to choose the best programs for GLCN to purchase, then installed and configured them for production use. In addition, they captured and edited important community events including the Latrobe Farmers Market, the Fourth of July Parade and the Twin Lakes Arts and Heritage Festival. Participant Scott Miller said, "I especially liked the time we got to spend out on location shooting videos, then coming back and editing them into broadcast ready programs."

Several participants were hired by their sites as employees because of their exemplary work while in the program, demonstrating the level of professional experience they gained. Meghan Howard was hired by the Fayette County Government with the Recorder of Deeds as a Department Clerk II. Jeffrey Williams was hired with the Goodwill of Southwest Pennsylvania as a truck driver.

Participants Katie Walter, who worked with Bushy Run Battlefield, in Harrison City, and Jestine Woods, who worked with the Mon Valley NAACP Office, were chosen to be PA Youth Ambassadors and will receive training in the coming weeks to assist in running the Youth Services Academy, set to take place in October at the Penn State Conference Center. Woods and Walter will be part of the youth voice, sharing with adults ways to encourage youth project and program recruitment and retention. Woods is a member of the Monessen Youth Council and a senior at Monessen High School. Walter is enrolled at Slippery Rock University.

The Summer Youth Employment and Youth Learning Programs were funded by a combination of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families dollars. With these two programs Private Industry Council and Westmoreland Fayette Workforce Investment Board continued the longstanding history of preparing youth for advancements in their educational and professional pursuits. Both programs not only provided the participants with an opportunity to earn money, but also prepared them for the world of work.

(From left to right): Jerret Belt (PA CareerLink), Eboni Ramsey (IU1), Vicki Kenes (IU1), Sarah Krueger (Goodwill), and Hannah Goldsberry (PA CareerLink).

(From left to right) Butch Hower, a maintenance Work Site supervisor at Friendship Hill and Fort Necessity National Historic Sites, shows Summer Youth participant Buddy DeLorenzo how to trim dead branches off of trees along the entrance to Friendship Hill Workers also helped with lawn maintenance and clearing trails.

Summer Youth participants Nick McCurdy and Robin Doherty assisted with the creation of LatrobeTV.com, a new and innovative project, while placed with the Greater Latrobe Community Network.

Summer Youth participant Stephanie Sanner welcomes visitors to the Mount Washington Tavern, a landmark at Fort Necessity National Battlefield, in Farmington, PA. Sanner along with her coworkers split their time between dressing in period costumes and acting as interpreters or assisting at the Interpretive and Education Center front desk.