On most weekday mornings, James Simpson III can be found running a group of 5- to 13-year-old summer campers through a workout routine at the Brownsville Community Center.
Simpson, a rising junior at S.L. Jones Christian Academy, is not only having fun, he is also working. The 17-year-old is among 175 young people working as Escambia County Summer Youth Employment Program interns.
The interns, ages 16 to 24, work at 59 county sites from Century to Pensacola Beach. Eighty-two high school students and 59 college students are among the nearly 200 interns hired this summer.
“This is a good thing for me, I’ve watched my growth from last year. The kids, last year, it was kind of hard for them to listen to me. But now, they listen,” said Simpson, a scholar-athlete with a 3.65 grade point average who plays football at Escambia High. “I’ve changed and learned some things myself – practicing patience, taking the initiative, researching and finding new games that the kids enjoy.”
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Kayla Harmon, a political science major at the University of Alabama who interns in Commissioner Lumon May’s office, has improved her skillsets as well.
Adaptability, effective communication, organization and problem-solving are among the skills that Harmon, another second-year intern, said she has honed.
“You never know what may come up when working in the community, so I think being able to adapt is important. I’ve learned how to think quickly on my feet,” said Harmon, who plans to become an attorney and said she would consider working for Escambia County.
“This experience has really opened my eyes to the importance of local government.”
May, who advocated for the program, said during the first year – 2017 – only 17 interns were hired by the county. This year, over 1,700 applications were received.
“I look at this program as an opportunity to let children see how they can get a job in their county. They don’t necessarily need a master’s degree or a Ph.D.,” said May, who worked in a summer job program as a teen. “We have jobs in maintenance. We have jobs in engineering. We have jobs in human services. They can stay here. So often, we lose so many of our bright and talented children to other communities because they go away because of a lack of opportunities.”
May also saw the program as a way to help children from low-income and underserved communities earn money while learning job skills. He noted it also provides the county with a pool of diverse applicants.
This summer, one intern has already been hired for a full-time position in the county’s animal shelter and another by a community partner. Since the program began, May estimates about 30 or so interns have joined the county’s workforce.
He also stressed the importance of paid internships.
“A poor child needs a paid internship. It’s great to get an internship to learn, but it’s even better to learn while you get paid. So that’s why we did the summer intern program, that’s why we did the Block-by-Block Program – teaching them HVAC, masonry and construction skills. To go after that target population that may not ever get an opportunity unless they are trained or unless they are mentored,” he said.
The seven-week employment program started in early June and will end on July 18. Interns earn $13 to $15 per hour and work up to 30 hours per week. However to be hired, applicants must first get through a rigorous employment screening and interview process.
Myesha Mitchell, the county’s Safe Neighborhoods program manager who also oversees the employment program, said applicants are interviewed by a committee with six county staff members.
“Selected applicants are then matched with departments based on their skillsets, interests, goals and the needs of each county department,” Mitchell said, noting the interns also have a voice in the decision.
And during orientation, Mitchell said she always brings in a financial literacy specialist to help the young people with money management skills.
Amari Young, a Pensacola State College student, said the program has changed her career outlook.
“I had never considered a career with Escambia County before my internship, but I’ve been able to meet and network with so many different people and really see the opportunities available here, which is a rare for someone my age,” said Young, 21, who works in the county’s human resources department.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Escambia County summer job program benefits young adults