Grants will help youth gain opportunities

Albuquerque

The Workforce Connection of Central New Mexico (previously the Central Area Workforce Investment Board) awarded 10 grants of $75,000 each to six organizations this month.

Each grant enables the organizations to hire and fund the operations for a Youth Oppor-tunities Coordinator. The coordinators will work with youth from the four counties of Central New Mexico who are interested in careers in specific industries.

“The Youth Opportunities System that our Youth Council has established is very innovative and has already gotten national-level attention,” says Workforce Connection Chair M. Steven Anaya. “Unlike the more typical approach of contracting with youth agencies, we have sought out industry associations who have the business relationships in place that will ensure young people have opportunities for meaningful internships in the careers and industries that they are interested in.”

In addition to their responsibility for developing workplace learning opportunities, the coordinators will also work with the youth to ensure other needs are met, such as academic assistance, counseling for substance-abuse issues, child-care support for parenting youth and more.

The grants are made to organizations with demonstrated strong ties to specific industries. The organizations receiving the grants include:

• The Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, with three grants for the information-technology and software industry, the artisan manufacturing industry and the hospitality and tourism industry.

• The T-VI Workforce Train-ing Center for three grants, two in health science and one in information-technology and software.

• The College of Education at the University of New Mexico for education and teacher training.

• The Construction Advance-ment Program, the education foundation of the Associated General Contractors for the commercial construction industry.

• The Foundation for Building from the Homebuilders Association of Central New Mexico for the home-construction industry.

Jennifer Scott is the workforce development director for the construction advancement program and will supervise the youth-opportunities coordinator funded by their grant.

The Construction Advance-ment Program has been a recipient in the past of similar funding through the School-to-Work Act of 1994. “What we’re excited about from this round of funding is that the Workforce Connection Youth Council is putting the responsibility on industry to create career paths for our youth,” Scott said. “Businesses in our industry have got to be ready to create opportunities for youth to job shadow, to work with mentors, to teach these young people about careers in our industry.

“This funding enables us to more quickly achieve our vision for providing real people with real jobs.”

Youth in Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia counties will be served through this grant.