The local labor force is growing by another 100 youth and young adults, thanks to a generous City Council that is allocating an additional $100,000 for Mayor Cedric Glover’s Summer Jobs Program.

The seven-week program began this month with a budget of $300,000 and an estimated workforce of about 250. The increased funding came after considerable debate and a special City Council meeting.

Mayor Glover, who got his first job as part of this program, says his request to hire more workers is a direct response to the nearly 2,000 applicants seeking to obtain meaningful employment this summer.

"As Mayor, I see this as an investment in our future and feel compelled to do as much as I can to make sure our young people have access to the job market so they can start building the skills they’ll need to launch their professional careers," Glover says.

The workers, between the ages of 16-to-21, began June 4th with a three-day orientation at Riverview Hall. The workshop was designed to provide basic life skills for the youth, many of whom have never held real jobs before. The topics covered included financial literacy, dressing for job interviews, resume writing and etiquette.

The students will work in various capacities across the City in areas ranging from internal audit to local daycare centers.

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