May 5, 2021
Columbus, OH – High school students will have the chance gain first-hand work experience and earn up to $1,300 this summer thanks to a $1.4 million investment from Franklin County.
The Franklin County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to approve an agreement between the Department of Job and Family Services and three local nonprofits to provide paid work readiness training through the summer Ready 2 Earn program.
This integrated partnership brings together Franklin County JFS, the Columbus Urban League, Godman Guild Association and TECH CORPS Ohio to offer a combination of project-based learning and traditional work opportunities for 14- to 18-year-olds this summer.
"Programs like Ready 2 Earn are generational investments," Deputy County Administrator Joy Bivens, who oversees the Commissioners’ health and human services agencies. "It's not just about providing an opportunity for young people to earn money over one summer. It’s about equipping them to excel in college or their career. This is one way we begin to close the racial wealth gap and move families up the economic ladder."
Ready 2 Earn partners will provide a blend of in-person work readiness training and interactive webinars. Youth will have the chance to gain exposure to in-demand career fields ranging from coding, cybersecurity and robotics to health care and early childhood education. Ready 2 Earn partners will also offer a broad array of work placements, from the Huntington Bank to the Furniture Bank of Central Ohio, to Top Golf or the Columbus Museum of Art.
All participating students – regardless of whether they are in the project-based learning track or more traditional work placement track – will receive training covering essential workplace behaviors such as professionalism, teamwork and critical thinking, along with resume writing tips and interview etiquette. Participants will receive a $1000 stipend with the chance to earn an additional $300 in incentives for hitting program-specific targets.
Ready 2 Earn is just part of a suite summer programming for youth throughout Franklin County that the Commissioners will be funding this year. The program also supports the Commissioners’ Rise Together Blueprint To Reduce Poverty in Franklin County, which calls for providing “comprehensive career readiness support for students with exposure to work and integrated skill-based learning opportunities.”
Students and parents can learn more by visiting each of the Ready 2 Earn partners’ websites:
• Columbus Urban League
• Godman Guild
• TECH CORPS
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The Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services provides timely public assistance benefits and builds community partnership through inclusion, responsiveness and innovation. Learn more at https://jfs.franklincountyohio.gov and follow FCDJFS on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.