Santa Barbara County and the city of Santa Maria are prepared to give youth ages 14-21 the opportunities that could lead to a career.
The county Workforce Development Board (WDB) received a $2-million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to help Santa Maria youth with summer and year-long jobs. Santa Maria qualified as one of only 11 in the nation, and the only one in California.
In related news, in May the Santa Maria City Council approved the Recreation and Parks Department’s application for a $1.1-million grant from the federal government based on HR 803, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The city is seeking an operator of the program, of which 75 percent must be spent on employment programs for young people.
An editorial ran in the Santa Maria and Lompoc newspapers announcing the news.
