Gila County Summer Work

About the Program

Category: Community and Economic Development (Best in Category)

Year: 2020

The Gila County Summer Work Program purpose is to introduce young people (ages 16 to 21) to work experience opportunities in local government while also providing them with the necessary soft skills employers have indicated are lacking in the local labor market. Historically, Gila County departments have hired summer help, if their budgets allowed; however, there was never an organized effort to build a program around community partners. In 2017, summer workers totaled 17. In 2018, the Board of Supervisors obligated funds for a Summer Work Program throughout the county to include six incorporated communities and one rural school district. Enrollments increased that year to thirty-three, that included four workers pursuant to a WIOA partnership; in 2019 enrollments increased again to thirty-seven. In addition to work experience, the participants receive an orientation and soft skills training; however, due to travel distance not all workers received the soft skills training in 2018; but, in 2019 two of the participating communities transported their workers to the county seat for orientation and training and three other communities participated by ITV connection. This resulted in 100% of workers receiving soft skills training on their first day of work.