Oneida County Accepting Applications for Summer Youth Work Programs

County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. announced today that as part of its pandemic recovery efforts, Oneida County will operate two major summer programs at full capacity this year.

The Oneida County College Student Corps, a signature county initiative that matches students with internships, did not operate in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The Oneida County Summer Youth Employment Program, which connects low-income teenagers with work experience opportunities, ran on a very limited basis last year due to COVID.

“Restoring full operation of these two programs is crucial to our community, both for the short-term benefit it gives our young people and employers this summer, and for the long-range growth of our workforce,” Picente said. “These are vital programs for the future of Oneida County.”

Both programs are operated through the Oneida County Office of Workforce Development. Pre-applications for both programs are available at the Oneida County Office of Workforce Development page on the county’s website (www.ocgov.net).

The Oneida County College Student Corps, which was created in 1998 by the Oneida County Board of Legislators, provides 200-hour summer internships for county-based students. Under the program, employers and the county each pay half the cost of an intern – making the program an ideal public-private partnership that helps local college students gain a fuller understanding of local opportunities in their chosen field of study.

“Every time an employer dedicates the time, money and effort to provide a valuable internship, they are investing in the future of our region,” Picente said. “This program provides young people who grow up here a new look at their community and allows them to discover the opportunity that is growing all around them. It also gives employers a chance to preview young, energetic workers who could become key employees once their college studies are completed.”

Employers interested in hosting an intern should contact Special Projects Coordinator Arthur C. Rapp, Jr. at (315) 798-3679 or arapp@working-solutions.org.

Most participants in the Oneida County Summer Youth Employment Program work about 20 hours per week over four to six weeks, depending upon the level of funding allocated to the county through the state budget. Youth workers earn a stipend and are placed in well-supervised community work experience sites or assigned to special projects. To be eligible, participants must be between the ages of 14 and 18 and meet certain income criteria.

“The Summer Youth Employment Program is a chance for local at-risk youth to seize a new opportunity and move toward a prosperous future,” Picente said. “Our program places these youth at hands-on sites to develop teamwork, communication and critical thinking skills, and prepares them to become productive employees with thriving careers.”

Summer Youth Employment Program applicants will be contacted in early June. The program is expected to start in July.

Employers interested in serving as a work site can contact Workforce Development Director David Mathis at (315) 798-5543 or by email at dmathis@ocgov.net.