From AmigosNAZ staff reports
With March upon us it’s time to start thinking about the St. Patrick Day (March 17), the beginning of spring (March 20) and … the start in earnest of the search by youth for summer jobs.
Summer? Yes!
Already, area organizations are in the final planning stages for job, career and resource fairs to help young people secure their first jobs — employment that can lead many to meaningful careers, career specialists report.
Even as the economy continues to improve, the summer job market will remain competitive for everything from the usual retail positions to summer internships, job shadowing and volunteer programs that help youths build up their resumes and prepare for future job opportunities.
As in previous years, many college and university students will remain in the area during their summer break, taking a number of the potential job positions.
Competition for jobs may also come from some of the 100 remaining workers who will be laid off from the Walgreens distribution center in Flagstaff, which is scheduled to close this spring. Overall, nearly 350 people worked at the center as of July 2014.
While most of those workers are seeking higher-paying positions, the possibility remains that some may have to settle for lower-paying, entry-level jobs to make financial ends meet until better opportunities become available.
Overall, Coconino county’s unemployment rate was 7.3 percent in December 2014, the latest month figures were available, up from a revised 7.2 percent in November, according to the U.S. Labor Department, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
That is still significantly down from the 11.1 percent rate reported in February 2010, but a steep jump from the 2.8 percent level reported in May 2007 prior to the Great Recession.
While local unemployment figures for youth are not available, previous reports compiled by Coconino County indicate that youth unemployment is typically twice the level of adults.
A variety of programs are being offered this year to help teens get off on the right start.
College & Career Information Fair on March 7
The Coconino Hispanic Advisory Council will present its inaugural College & Career Information Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 7 in the Killip Elementary School gymnasium, 2300 E. Sixth Ave., Flagstaff.
The goal of the event is to become the first stopping place of the year for youth and their parents to get information about future youth job fairs, internships, job shadowing and other training programs, organizers reported in a media release.
It is not designed to be an actual job fair, organizers reported. Rather, it is designed to help youth and their parents learn about resources to begin the summer job hunt earlier, and learn about upcoming events and programs to improve their chances of landing a job.
Workshops will be presented on preparing for the summer job season, learning the basics of financial aid and scholarships, making the transitions from high school to college and helping first-generation college students to succeed.
The Coconino County Career Center will present information on the Flagstaff Teen Employment Corps, with representatives from Coconino Community College and Northern Arizona University scheduled to attend to answer general questions about financial aid and high-school-to-college or university transition programs.
Translators will be available to help parents, youth and community members.
Informational tables in the gymnasium will provide updates on upcoming job fairs and training programs. Space is still available to present general resources at the community resource table.
Contact Theresa Thomas at TThomas@coconinoaz.gov or visit https://cchac.wordpress.com/college-career-fair/ for more information.
Coconino Community College Teen Job Fair on April 8
One organization scheduled to present information at the Killip event is Coconino Community College’s Career Services, which will provide an update on its 12th annual Teen Job Fair scheduled from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 8 at the Flagstaff Lone Tree Campus, 2800 S. Lone Tree Road, Flagstaff.
The Teen Job Fair typically features more than two dozen local businesses and organizations presenting information on jobs, volunteer and other opportunities. The event, which is free to college and high school students, will feature career exploration, on-site interviews and free bus transportation.
In 2014, the event included potential employers from the Flagstaff Mall, representatives from local financial institutions, government agencies offering summer employment and high-school-to-college or university transition representatives.
The fair is sponsored by the college in collaboration with Goodwill Industries of Northern Arizona and the Coconino County Career Center.
Contact Brian Francis, Coconino Community College Career Services coordinator, at 928-226-4337 or send an email to brian.francis@coconino.edu for more information.
Ongoing teen and young adult training programs presented by the Coconino County Career Center
The Coconino County Career Center provides ongoing skills training, internships, workshops, leadership development and other programs for young adults 18 to 21, said Ann Tatham, workforce development specialist at the Coconino County Career Center.
They include the “Application & Resume Basics Workshop” from 11 a.m. to noon Mondays, March 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 at the Coconino County One-Stop Career Center, 4308 E. Route 66, Flagstaff.
New this year will be additional workshops presented by the recently launched Flagstaff Teen Employment Corps to help prepare youth for the April 8 Coconino Community College Teen Job Fair.
Schedules are being finalized for workshops at Coconino High and Ponderosa High School.
To get the latest information on upcoming workshops, teens and their parents should continue to visit http://coconino.az.gov/Calendar/Home/ or https://www.facebook.com/YEScoconino.
Contact Deidre Crawley at 928-863-0835 for more information on the Flagstaff Teen Employment Corps.
Goodwill Northern Arizona’s One-Stop Career Resource Center youth workshop
Goodwill Industries of Northern Arizona has released its calendar for March that includes the “Awesome Application and Rich Resumes for Young Adults” workshop from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 19 at the Coconino County One Stop Career Center, 4308 E. Route 66, Flagstaff.
Visit http://www.goodwillna.org or https://www.facebook.com/GoodwillIndustriesNorthernArizona: send an email to admin@goodwillna.org, or call 928-526-9188 to get the latest information on future workshops.