Need a summer job? Larimer County Workforce Center can help

It’s not too early for high school students to start thinking about a job for this summer. Last year, nearly 23 million young people between the ages of 16 and 24 nationwide were looking for work when school was out, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics — and only slightly more than half of them found jobs.

To help even the odds locally, the Larimer County Workforce Center is offering work readiness training for youth 16 through 18 years old to prepare them for part-time summer employment with local businesses that have partnered with the center.

Other employment education opportunities also exist for youth between 14 and 21. Career Road Trips give kids a chance to tour local businesses to learn what employers expect of the future labor force and develop a better understanding of future career pathways.

The Young Entrepreneur Tournament is open to those 14- to 18-year-olds who want to be their own boss and maybe earn some cash this summer. A four-part workshop walks participants through the process of starting a business. Once they complete a business plan, they can have it evaluated by local business owners for the chance to win $250 in startup money.

The first workshop will be held April 14, and registration forms are available on the Workforce website at larimerworkforce.org/youth-services.

The Larimer County Youth Conservation Corps has three different crews performing conservation, agriculture and forestry projects on public lands this summer – the Sawyer Crew is open to older teens and young adults up to 24 years old. Specific openings will be announced soon online.

For more information and to apply for these programs and services, go to www.larimerworkforce.org/summer 2012, call 970-498-6608 or email youthservices@larimer.org.