The Erie County Bright Futures Job Program connects Erie County youth with paid summer jobs at businesses, nonprofits and government agencies throughout the region.

Organizers said the experience — which is facilitated through the Greater Erie Community Action Committee — helps participants build confidence and develop skills employers are looking for. Many participants are entering the workforce for the first time.

“I mean there’s that mentorship side of it where that’s kind of known on the other side, there’s a lack of experience there. And that’s part of it coming in, that there’s an intentional focus on mentoring that person into a career,” Rock Copeland, a member of the Erie County Council 3rd District, said.

The program also gives employers a chance to invest in the next generation of workers.

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“The Martin Luther King Center, the JFK Center, we have some individual privately owned businesses. We have school districts; we’ve got employers county wide that are interested in participating in this program,” Marybelle Martin, director of education, workforce and self-sufficiency for GECAC, said.

The Erie County Bright Future Summer Jobs Program was made to give kids the ability to adapt skills and confidence needed through over 150 employment opportunities this summer.

“We set them up with interview questions that might be asked, we make sure they’re familiar with the job in which they’re placed. And then right before — the Friday before the program starts which in this case would be the 26th of June — we host an employee, employer luncheon,” Martin said.

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“A lot of times one of your barriers to employment is having work history in your past. It’s kind of that first item on the resume for a lot of kids, to get that resume built up and have some real-world work experience,” Copeland said.

Organizers encourage anyone age 14 and up to apply so they can get work experience to help them for the future.

Applications remain open until June 29 and can be found here.

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