New Rochelle Youth to Get Job Training

New Rochelle young adults, age 16 to 24, will be getting assistance with training to succeed in the job market.

The New Rochelle Youth Bureau received a grant in the amount of $137,600 from the Westchester-Putnam Workforce Investment Board to establish a New York Youth Works Employment Program in the city.

Young adults in the program will receive a stipend to take training in job skills at the New Rochelle Public Library and could receive another stipend if they are placed in a job.

Barbara Davis, the library's community relations director, said the young people will go through an eight-week program that will give them foundations of employment practices.

"They will know the importance of showing up, being on time," she said. "It's the basics of job readiness, (such as) learning how to present yourself, how to do a job interview, how to talk to an employer."

Davis said over the last two years the library has become a major workforce development center with its digital literacy training.

"We are delighted to partner with the Youth Bureau," she said. "We thought it was essential to have the services here in New Rochelle rather than have the kids make their way to White Plains."

Councilman Jared Rice said participating businesses will be eligible for tax credits.

"We want to really encourage businesses in New Rochelle and within a 25-mile radius to participate in this program," he said.

Sam Gomez, with the Youth Bureau, said there will be 65 young adults going through training and 88 placed in jobs.

"Our work would be to identify who needs the training and who the needs the work," he said.

Kelly Johnson, the Youth Bureau executive director, said the program benefits the businesses in the interview process.

"The employer is getting someone who is prescreened," he said.

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