On Wednesday, Jan. 19, Bell-Whitley CAA will be hosting a work ready event at the Bell County Library in Pineville.

The Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP) and Kentucky Career Center JobSight are partnering with 9 Community Action agencies to host these event throughout Eastern Kentucky. The Opportunity Youth Work Ready event will allow anyone ages 16-24 to get access to immediate job opportunities. This program is designed to assist individuals with obtaining the skills and connections to get jobs and successfully maintain their employment. Those that participate in the program will gain access to services including: job placement, funds for transportation, childcare, or housing, paid training, targeted career advising and skill development.

Opportunity Youth provides essential life and work skills for the young people who have dropped out of school, disengaged from the workforce and education system, recovering from substance abuse, homeless, pregnant or parenting, aging out of foster care, to just needs additional assistance. Bell-Whitley CAA will help those wanting to get back in the workforce through the Opportunity Youth program. Alex Barnett, the director of the workforce program at Bell-Whitley CAA, stated, “This recruiting event allows us to advertise our programs, in this case our Opportunity Youth program, to people who wouldn’t normally know what Bell-Whitley WIOA can offer them or someone they may know.” EKCEP says that investing in the young people of Eastern Kentucky will increase the workforce and give the young people a chance to lead happy, healthy and successful lives.

Businesses can also be involved with the Opportunity Youth Program. This program can help locate and screen participants who will help fill staffing and workforce needs. Barnett said, “The average outcome is significant, we give youth and opportunity to have jobs they may not be qualified for to obtain work experience for their resume and allow them to be more marketable in the future. The hope is that after their work experience, they obtain a permanent position with the company they are working for.”

If interested in this program, but may have barrier from preventing you, Barnett also stated, “Our program also allows is to relieve barriers that they may be facing such as childcare, rent, gas cards, work uniforms and anything else that may be preventing their success.” Bell-Whitley CAA will be hosting this event at the Bell County Library from 1-4:30 p.m. on Jan. 19.