Programme seeks summer jobs for youths

It’s that time of the year when thousands of Belizean youths–recent graduates plus part timers–hit the job market in force. Some will send out dozens of computer polished resumes while others will simply walk the streets, knocking on doors. What they all have in common is that finding employment is often a frustrating experience. This morning News 5’s Jacqueline Woods spoke to the director of one effort that hopes to ease the trauma of entering the workforce.

Jacqueline Woods, Reporting

The programme, which runs from July to August, provides high school students with jobs. Since May, young men and women have been applying at the Youth Department in the hope that they will be accepted. Youth Officer, Makesha Suazo says the three-year-old programme is part of an initiative to help students earn some much needed cash during the school break.

Makesha Suazo, Youth Officer, Belize City

“The young people that have been coming to the office are asking for jobs. Normally in the summer, school is out, so what we do is help the high school students find jobs so they can help themselves with getting money for books and uniforms.”

The programme also caters to youths who are out of school. The applicants are between the ages of sixteen and twenty-nine.

Jacqueline Woods

“Now is it guaranteed that anyone who applies for this programme will get a job?”

Makesha Suazo

“No. What we’re doing is that they have to go through a selection process. We interview the student and see if they really need a summer job. Reason being is that the student that we accept are students who financially need the job so that they could continue their studies.”

While some youths have already been accepted at various work places, the over all response from the business community has not been encouraging.

Maskesha Suazo

“What we are doing is sending letters out to all the business places. Most business places we work with or that we have a relationship with and what we are asking them to do is respond and take one student for the entire six weeks.”

If you would like to apply for a summer job, you have until the end of June to send in your form. The papers are available at the Youth Department office on Gabourel Lane. Jacqueline Woods reporting for News 5.

If you would like to help the Youth Department by hiring one of the students, you can call the office at telephone numbers 223-2805 or 223-2808.