250 Youth Begin Job Training in Mobile

Jun 11th, 2017

Mobile, Ala. -- Through the efforts of Mayor Stimpson's Youth Empowered for Success (YES) Initiative, 250 young people will begin job training on Monday in the City of Mobile.

At the Bishop State Yvonne Kennedy Business and Technology Center, 14 and 15-year-olds will begin the Summer Jobs Skills Program - a four week long program that will focus on job skills and community engagement. Youth ages 16 to 24 will begin training for the Summer Youth Employment Program at 3 Circles Church to prepare them for their positions at the City of Mobile this summer.

The University of South Alabama Hospitality and Workforce Innovation Alliance will be providing the workplace readiness program for the youth selected to work for the hospitality industry in Gulf Shores. Upon completion of the training, the participants will work with selected employers to pilot this innovative workforce solution. This pilot program is the first Gulf Coast workforce development partnership to answer the growing demand of seasonal employment in Gulf Shores and the number of young people in the City of Mobile ready and eager to work. The collaborative pilot program is the effort of The City of Mobile, The City of Gulf Shores, the University of South Alabama, Mobile County Public Schools-Transportation Department, Baldwin Regional Area Transit System (BRATS), Brett-Robinson, Meyer Real Estate, Spectrum Resorts, Kiva Dunes and LuLu's Hospitality.

"Our young people need to be trained and working this summer to prepare them for this region's growing job market," said Mayor Stimpson. "We tell our youth that violence is not the answer, and now it's time to consistently provide options to empower them so that they can be successful."

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About Youth Empowered for Success:

Over the last decade, several growing and unacceptable conditions reached peak levels and confronted many of our city's youth -- poverty, violence, hopelessness, unemployment, low educational attainment, and dysfunctional enrichment, recreational and athletic opportunities. Mayor Stimpson launched YES last year to address these challenges, reverse the effects of violence and secure a bright future for all of our children. YES operates on the premise of providing our youth with love, leadership, hope, respect, protection, opportunity and fun. It provides vulnerable youth access to available resources to assist in education, life and job skills training, employment opportunities, mentoring, and safe, productive enrichment, recreational and athletic programs. Learn more at www.yes251.org .