FORT CARSON, Colo.---A teen job fair linked high school students with potential employers and college representatives Friday at the Fort Carson Youth Services Center.
The fair, which attracted more than 30 students, was organized by teen apprentices enrolled in the "hired! Program," said Denise Dorsett, workforce preparation specialist, Child, Youth and School Services.
The fair was designed to provide students with opportunities that could possibly last beyond the summer, Dorsett said.
"In the economy now, there is such limited availability for youth to secure summer jobs. So, I think it's important to bring the community to where the kids are," she said.
"Instead of the kids having to go and spend all of the time to go around to all of the businesses in the community, we thought we could bring all of them to us, and it would be kind of a one-stop shopping for them.
"We've also asked colleges to be here, because we want this to be a career fair as well as a job fair. A summer job is going to end in August, and then what' It's good for the kids to be able to get summer jobs so they are busy during that timeframe, but we also have to look at what their careers are going to be."
Although 100 local businesses were invited to the fair, only a handful participated - possibly because of the forecast for another spring snowstorm for Friday afternoon, Dorsett said.
"I wish there had been more businesses here," said Sandra Smith, Family member, who took her 14-year-old son, Christian, to the fair. "There were a lot of universities represented, but my son is looking for a job so he can start saving money."
Although the job fair was canceled last year because of budget constraints, in the past more than 30 businesses have participated, according to Youth Services Center staff.
In the week leading up to the job fair, Dorsett held three career launch classes to prepare teens for meeting with potential employers and give them the chance to create a resume to bring with them to the job fair.
"We held ... career launch classes ... for the youths that haven't had resumes, so they ... would have their resumes available," Dorsett said. "We also told them that they need to dress for success. You only get one chance to make a first impression. If you want to talk to someone, you want to put your best foot forward."
Although the job fairs are held annually, the 12-week hired! Program sessions are offered four times a year. In the program, students are placed in positions within Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation locations on Fort Carson. To complete the program, they must work 15 hours per week - 180 hours in all, maintain a 2.0 grade point average, provide copies of their report cards and attend two workforce training sessions a month, Dorsett said.
Although the students don't get paid for their apprenticeships, if they complete the program they get a $500 stipend, Dorsett said.
"With it being an apprenticeship program, for the 12 weeks they are working, they don't get paid. (That) is hard for teenagers these days who want everything yesterday," she said. "They really have to be very committed to doing this, because who wants to work for 12 weeks and not get paid'"
The students who have enrolled said the program is a good experience.
"You learn the experience of being out there in the real world," said William Young, who is enrolled in the current session. "It's a really good program."
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