Workforce Centers throughout Colorado, including Mesa County, are offering to help teens find summer jobs through the Governor's Summer Job Hunt.

The Summer Job Hunt program is designed to assist teens by giving them the tools and confidence needed to enter the workforce. In 2016, the state's unemployment rate for teens age 16-19 was 13% making this program essential to many teens facing the prospect of a limited job market.

Teens involved in the program are taught how to write a resume, learn and practice interviewing skills and ways to search for summer employment.

Last summer, over 40,000 high school and college students in Colorado were assisted. The Mesa County Workforce Center helped almost 3,800 teens prepare for job searches.

The Workforce Center also contacts Grand Junction area businesses to discuss summer teen employment opportunities they may have or can implement. Employers willing to offer summer jobs are the key to keeping the Summer Job Hunt program viable.

Colorado Department of Labor and Employment Executive Director Ellen Golombek says,

The ultimate value of a summer job isn’t just the paycheck young workers earn, it’s the valuable lessons they learn that will serve them in their future careers. A summer job provides young adults across the state with the opportunity to put their classroom learning to the test.”

Teens who are looking for summer jobs are encouraged to contact the Mesa County Workforce Center in person or call 970-248-0871 to get more information about the free program.

Teens outside the Grand Junction area can find a Workforce Center location near them by visiting the Governor's Summer Job Hunt website.

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