The City of Grand Rapids on Wednesday announced the launch of their 2021 GRow1000 youth employment program. This is the second year for GRow1000, the brainchild of City Manager, Mark Washington.
“A program like this, really helps young people discover who they are.”
That’s Shannon L. Harris, Interim Executive Director of Our Communities Children, and the program she’s referring to is the “2021 GRow1000" youth employment program.
“It really helps them to enhance the skills they already have, and to further develop the talent that they didn’t think they had. And it really is as a pathway to future, to their future, their future careers.”
Harris says the City and area businesses are expanding this year. They’re building on the success of employing more than 350 youth last summer, they are now poised to employ 650 Grand Rapids residents- ages 15 to 24 beginning June 14 and wrapping up on July 23rd.
“The young people will be matched with local employers. Although the city will still be the employers of record, we are placing young people in areas such as healthcare, the arts, manufacturing, higher ed. So, the young people will experience about 120 hours of work.”
And Harris says they will get a decent wage for that work- participants will work 20 hours each week earning $10 an hour for those under 18 and $13 an hour for those 18 and older. Harris adds the time is now to get your applications in—and that goes for both the youth and the employers. Youth should apply by April 19th,, businesses by April 14th. Shannon says all the information is available on their website at grandrapidsmi.gov. just scroll down to GRow1000.
