Picente Unveils Emerging Worker Recovery Program

Will Provide Expanded Opportunities for Student Workers & Boost to Local Workforce

County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. today unveiled Oneida County’s Emerging Worker Recovery Program that will provide expanded employment opportunities to high school and college students and help local employers bolster their diminished workforces.

“The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are still being felt across the board,” Picente said. “Summer jobs, internships and the other work experiences that help shape the careers of young people were disrupted the past two years and our local businesses and organizations are struggling to find and keep employees. This program will address the needs of both and help Oneida County’s workforce get back on the right track.”

First introduced in Picente’s State of the County Address earlier this year, the Emerging Worker Recovery Program will utilize American Rescue Plan Act funding for the following:

• Youth Employment: To build upon the success of the Oneida County Summer Youth Employment Program, Oneida County will create a youth employment program that will provide work opportunities for 14-19 year-olds, not just in the summer, but year-round. Summer jobs will be expanded to more work sites, the eligibility pool will be widened and part-time work will be offered through the school year.

• Enhanced Internships: The County created the Oneida County College Student Corps in 1998 to connect local college students with career opportunities through summer internships. This program will be expanding to support year-round internships. As with the summer program, the enhanced internship project will require employers to match county dollars as a partnership to support the development of the emerging workforce.

• Community Impact: Local businesses, organizations and governments have felt the impact of the pandemic through delayed maintenance and beautification projects. Oneida County seeks to utilize student workers to help remedy that situation while teaching youth the importance of community service and pride.

“Be it schools, local governments, non-profit organizations or private businesses, everyone has had their resources stretched by the needs of addressing the pandemic,” Picente said. “Whether there are shrubs to trim, rooms to paint, cleaning projects that are overdue, or any number of other things where you need an extra hand, I invite any entity in Oneida County to give young people, who can use a close-to-home work experience, the opportunity to show what they can do.”

Eligibility: Both programs are open to all Oneida County youth. Youth must be legally able to work. The Youth Employment Program targets youth 14-19 who are currently in school; the College Corps targets Oneida County residents attending college. Individuals with specific eligibility questions should contact Oneida County Workforce Development Director David Mathis at dmathis@ocgov.net.

Wages: Participants will be paid minimum wage, which is currently $13.20 per hour.

Hours: To ensure youth in school have time for their studies, the year-round Youth Employment Program has a cap of 20 hours per week for any in-school youth during a full week of classes. Youth employed at summer work sites will generally work a total of between 60 and 100 hours in July and August. College Corps interns cannot displace existing workers, and will generally be limited to 30 or fewer hours per week during the school year.

Projects: Oneida County seeks to do the most good it can with the resources available. Communities and groups that want help with a community benefit work project should complete the application to describe the benefits to the community from the project. Barring extenuating circumstances, community work projects at private homes and on the grounds of for-profit entities will not be considered.

Application materials for high school students, college students, potential employers and work sites are available on the Workforce Development page of the Oneida County website. For more program information, contact Workforce Development at (315) 798-5543.