"We, number one, want to show that we continue to invest into our youth and the next generation of what we know is our workforce," said Mayor Smith. "And you cannot know what's available for you for a career if you're not exposed to it."
Sally Windle, executive director at ArtSpace Lima, said the interns contribute in many ways.
“There’s a lot of things that we do during the summer—camps and different people coming in for tours. They’ve been able to help us with that,” Windle said. “But then they also are learning a skill. There’s a lot of things that we do here that they could do in other jobs, like patch walls, repair items. They’re learning all of that as part of their program.”
Eleven young adults are getting much-needed on-the-job training this summer as the City of Lima's GenNext Workforce Development Program winds down. Several of the summer interns shared what they have been doing this summer at Mayor Sharetta Smith's media briefing this week. The program asks what type of work the individual aged 16 to 24 wants to do, and then the city finds a business that meets their criteria. Participants spent the summer exploring jobs in marketing, radio, public utilities, along with child care, and others. They say the experience has opened their eyes to the fields they were interested in.
Several local students received a close-up look at life-saving careers on Wednesday. As part of the City of Lima's GenNext program, students met with Mayor Shareeta Smith and the Lima Fire Department at the Bradfield Community Center to learn more about jobs in public safety. Students checked out a Lima fire truck and were shown how firefighters and EMTs perform life-saving tasks in emergencies.
The City of Lima is still taking registrations for their GenNext 911 educational program to promote safety service careers with the Lima police and fire departments. The program is designed for high school juniors and seniors and is a free one-day session with each organization. Monday, June 10th, will be spent with the Lima Police Department, and Tuesday, June 11th, will be with the Lima Fire Department. The session will be from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on both days. There will be opportunities for hands-on learning and demonstrations, and participants will learn the requirements of safety service jobs.
The City of Lima is gearing up for its GenNext Makers Summer Camp. With the success of last year's camp, organizers are expanding the camp. This year, they will be partnering with Rhodes State, OSU Lima, the University of Northwestern Ohio, and several local manufacturers. The participating kids will get an inside and hands-on look at STEM careers right here in Lima-Allen County.
GenNext offers young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 pre-employment education as well as an eight-week, part-time internship. Pre-employment education sessions will include financial literacy, interviewing, resume writing, and overall professionalism. During the application process applicants will have an opportunity to identify their career field of interest and be matched with similar paid internships.
