April 20, 2009
Summer jobs program to connect thousands of Missouri youth with on-the-job training, mentoring for 21st century careers
Gov. Nixon launches Next-Generation Jobs Team during visit to high-tech Columbia lab
Gov. Jay Nixon tours Associated Electric Cooperative in Springfield, Mo., to detail Missouri’s Next-Generation Jobs Team, a summer employment program that will train Missouri youth for 21st-century careers. This summer, the program will match about 6,000 young Missourians with work experiences and internships with firms specializing in fields such as green energy, engineering and health care. Associated Electric Cooperative is one of the employers participating in the program.
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Across Missouri, high school and college students are getting ready for summer. But under a program announced today by Gov. Jay Nixon, thousands of these young Missourians will spend the summer learning the skills they'll need for the careers of tomorrow, not sitting on the couch at home.
Gov. Nixon today visited the new Discovery Ridge research facility of Columbia-based ABC Laboratories Inc., a leading product development laboratory serving the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, to launch the Missouri Next-Generation Jobs Team, a summer employment program that will prepare Missouri youth to compete for and excel in the high-tech, high-paying careers of the 21st century.
The Next-Generation Jobs Team will help match thousands of Missouri youth, ages 16 to 24, with summer internships and work experiences at cutting-edge employers across the state. Mentors with the Missouri Department of Economic Development's local Workforce Investment Boards will help youth identify career fields of interest and place young people with appropriate employers in the area. The young Missourians will then spend the summer gaining on-the-job training and work experience, along with continued guidance and support from professional career counselors. Wages for the young workers will be funded by the U.S. Department of Labor through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
"To create new jobs and turn this economy around, we must ensure that Missouri has highly trained, highly skilled workers who are ready to compete for the careers of tomorrow," Gov. Nixon said. "Our Next-Generation Jobs Team will help young Missourians identify emerging careers in high-growth, high-tech industries, and they'll spend a summer gaining experience that will give them a leg up on the competition. At the same time, we'll help Missouri employers develop a pool of talent here in our state to meet their needs for educated and qualified workers. I encourage young Missourians and employers alike to take advantage of this opportunity to build the workforce that will lead our economy into the future."
Young Missourians and employers can apply to become part of the program by visiting the state home page, www.mo.gov, and clicking on the Next-Generation Jobs Team graphic. There is no fee to apply for or participate in the program. Applications from students and businesses will be forwarded to local Workforce Investment Boards, where counselors will connect youth and potential employers.
Already, next-generation employers from across Missouri are lining up to be a part of this program, including ABC Laboratories; Burns & McDonnell a cutting-edge engineering and architecture firm in Kansas City; BJC Health System in St. Louis, one of the largest health care providers in the state; Watts Radiant, a thermal energy company in Springfield; and utility companies and electrical cooperatives across the state. Additionally, industry and trade groups, including the Missouri Hospital Association and the Missouri Biotechnology Association, are working closely with the Division of Workforce Development to recruit employers for the program.
"ABC Laboratories is a product development partner. We deliver the science necessary for our customers to develop environmentally safe products that improve human and animal health," said Byron E. Hill, ABC's President & CEO. "This summer, we look forward to providing opportunities for young people in the area to gain real-life job experience. They'll have the opportunity to learn about science and about business, and we'll benefit from their energy and enthusiasm. ABC is happy to participate in this program, because it not only benefits the young people, but will also strengthen the regional economy by helping to train Missouri's future workforce. This is a win-win for Missouri and for ABC Laboratories."
Gov. Nixon encouraged young Missourians and potential employers to submit their applications as soon as possible by visiting www.mo.gov and clicking through to the Next-Generation Jobs Team site.
"Summer's almost here, and we're ready to get this program up and running," Gov. Nixon said. "Young Missourians should move quickly to take advantage of this opportunity to jumpstart their careers."
To learn more about employers who are joining the Next-Generation Jobs Team across the state, Missourians should contact their local Workforce Investment Boards. Contact information for these offices is available online at: