Information:

TO 2000 COLLEGE CORPS PROGRAM 

The Oneida County College Student Corps -- a career-guided summer jobs program for college-age students -- will kick off its third program year when preliminary applications are distributed on Friday, November 26, Oneida County Executive Ralph J. Eannace Jr.announced today.

Eannace said applications will be available at the New York State Department of Labor office, 2^nd floor, 207 Genesee Street, Utica, and at the Rome Community Service Center, 301 West Dominick Street, Rome. Applications will also be available at Oneida County Workforce Development, 209 Elizabeth Street, Utica, beginning Monday, November 29.

In addition, preliminary applications can be submitted online at the Oneida County Workforce Development website: http://www.ocwd.org.

Eannace said the College Student Corps Program began two years ago as an initiative of his office and the Board of Legislators. The students working in the program the past two summers have been paid $7.00 per hour for a 25-30 hour work week, funded mostly by the Oneida County Board of Legislators, with an additional grant from the Community Foundation.

"We wanted to give Oneida County student’s attending colleges, universities, and trade schools, the opportunity to work with local employers who could offer pertinent work experience in the students chosen field of study", Eannace said. "In this way we develop mentoring relationships between the youth worker and their employer, with the hope that their relationship can blossom and eventually lead to a full-time job offer once the student has graduated. Most of all, this shows our young people some of the many career opportunities they can now enjoy by coming home after graduation"

Eannace said the College Corps program has been "successful beyond our expectations." He said that more than 200 students, representing well over 50 colleges and trade schools, have participated in the program thus far.

"We have had students developing web sites, anchoring news broadcasts, assisting in veterinary hospitals, and teaching art classes", Eannace said. "We spent a great deal of time and effort to match the right employer with the right student."

The County Executive said the students were involved in real work situations, which gave them practical experience in the field they were studying.

"As we envisioned it, the College Student Corps Program is a means to encourage our young people -- our next workforce -- to realize that there are real opportunities in the job market right here in Oneida County," Eannace said. "We want them to know that they can build a career here -- at the same time."

"We’re showing area businesses that there is real talent out there -- homegrown talent that can take up the challenge to be the backbone of tomorrows labor market," Eannace said. "This in turn becomes an important step in our economic development efforts. We were impressed with the maturity, the work ethic, and the enthusiasm we found in the students we hired last year. They will serve their future employers very well indeed."

Students wishing to participate in the year 2000, College Student Corps Program are encouraged to apply early, preferably during the holidays or mid-semester breaks, Eannace said. Employers wishing to receive bright new talent for career exploring internships should also apply early. This will allow early applicants an opportunity to meet with employers and possibly arrange with their college for academic credit.

Eannace said students wanting to apply for the 2000 College Student Corps Program -- or area businesses wanting to hire students this summer -- should contact Oneida County Workforce Development at 798-5908.