Mobile County, Partners Begin Job Internship Program Today

Posted on: Jun 14th, 2017 | News and Announcements

Sixty-two Mobile County students will take part in a summer job internship program that will place them into premiere jobs throughout the community. The Mobile County Summer Internship Program is sponsored by the Mobile County Commission, along with its partners Mobile Works, PNC Bank and the University of South Alabama. ?Mobile County businesses have come forward to give these young people real and meaningful work and to challenge them to excel in the work place,? said Mobile County Commissioner President Merceria Ludgood. ?These students will gain real workplace experience in a variety of fields, including engineering, aerospace, manufacturing, medical and the non-profit sector. We thank our partners for their support in providing these opportunities for our youth.? The program will consist of 35 hours of job training followed by four weeks on the job. Training will include technology and software classes as well as basic essential skills such as banking, budgeting and personal presentation. Cheryl Williams, Spherion Staffing Services owner and one of the program coordinators, said that employers in Mobile County typically hire workers with some degree of training or skills. ?By increasing the skill set, we increase the job opportunities for potential workers in this community.? Ramona Hill of Workshops, Etc.! is the other program coordinator. Apart from skill-building, the program will help young adults pay for higher education. ?Many of the participants will use their wages for college tuition and basic living expenses,? Ludgood said. Students will earn full-time wages. This is the fifth year the county has offered the program. ?When we started this program job opportunities for teens had steadily declined, providing fewer opportunities for young people to learn job skills and to prove themselves in the work force. I?m happy to say that many of our partner employers have realized this and stepped up to the plate to offer this initiative to employ young people,? Ludgood said. ?Education and job training are essential for success in a competitive world and increase the opportunities for our growing industrial sector to hire locally,? said Commission Connie Hudson. ?I?ve started and owned several businesses and I?m happy to help launch these young people as they start their careers,? said Commissioner Jerry Carl. ?This will help prepare them for the opportunities in their futures.?