BENTON HARBOR, Mich.- The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the team at Michigan Works! Berrien, Cass, Van Buren have joined forces to hire over 40 youth for the Youth Development Mentoring Program (YDMP).
MDOT and Michigan Works! are bringing this program to local youth ages 16-24 who are interested in earning money during their summer break. Youth will be paid for doing manual labor, such as area grounds maintenance, park and ride upkeep, and more. In addition, they will receive mentoring throughout the summer while learning about engineering and transportation career pathways.
“This is a great opportunity for youth to learn the importance of maintaining their communities and roadways,” said David Manecke, Project Manager at Michigan Works!. “The program also exposes them to the importance of showing up on time, being accountable, and many of the other soft skills that they must know before they enter the workforce and post-secondary education.”
Applicants must be 16 to 24 and be enrolled in High School, a GED program, college or have a High School Diploma, GED or College Degree. In addition, individuals applying for the program must be from Berrien, Cass, Van Buren, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, Calhoun, or Branch counties. People interested in YDMP can expect to be working 40 hours a week from June to September.
“We have found great success with this program across the state and are excited to see it come back for another year to Southwest Michigan,” said MDOT Southwest Region Engineer, Will Thompson. “This partnership is proving to be a game changer when it comes to arming the incoming workforce with the technical skills and soft skills they need to succeed in the future.”
To apply for the Youth Development Mentoring program, visit boards.greenhouse.io/kinexus. All applications are due by Friday, June 19. For more information, contact David at ManeckeD@miworks.org.
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