Riverside programs aim to help local youth gain work experience

Two workforce development programs in Riverside aim to help young city residents get on early career paths and develop the next generation of workers, officials said Tuesday.

The RISE and GROW programs represent investments in local youth who will become the city and local business’ future employees, officials said. The programs feature internships, mentoring and life skills training.

“We know from our existing workforce that many of our best employees are right here in Riverside,” Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said in a statement. “These programs help us develop our future workforce and ensure we will continue to benefit from the local talent here in town.”

GROW, or Guiding Riverside’s youth towards Opportunities in the Workforce, provides high school juniors and seniors with job readiness skills as well as knowledge and experiences related to the workforce. The program combines classroom learning, hands-on training, job-shadowing and mentorship with the goal of preparing students for success in a variety of industries, officials said.

“The ultimate goal of GROW is to help Riverside businesses by creating a pipeline of entry level candidates that are ready to work,” according to a city statement.

The first GROW cohort included 15 students in the 20-week paid program that totaled 120 hours of training, guest speakers, site tours and on-the-job work experience, officials said. Program participants explored city departments, applied for part-time positions and received a certificate of completion “to help meet standards required for employment, pre-apprenticeships and/or (career and technical education) programs,” according to the city.

While employment is not guaranteed, the program offers participants an “’advantage’ in their employment journey,” officials said. The city connects with area school districts, colleges and universities that provide a pool of young people seeking to build their resumes while learning job-readiness skills, including:

• professionalism, problem-solving, and workplace etiquette;
• how to dress appropriately for an interview;
• the importance of developing a personal brand;
• how to create a dynamic profile on LinkedIn;
• how to create an email address that is appropriate for interacting with a potential employer;
• the importance of firm handshakes and maintaining eye contact during interviews; and
• CPR/first-aid certification.

“Employers who are eager to fill positions may not have the time to explain to applicants how they may have fallen short of an employer’s expectations,” Mayor Pro Tem Jim Perry said in a statement. “This program helps young people be ‘ready to hire’ by eliminating some of those potential barriers on the front end.”

The GROW program features a “career exploration tour” in which participants visit various city departments and locations of possible future work. Stops on the tour include City Hall, the Riverside TV studio, Traffic Management Center, One-Stop Shop and the Bourns Family Youth Innovation Center.

“The Riverside TV studio, for example, could spur interest in careers in video production, engineering, editing, and management,” according to the city. “Future GROW cohorts will also have exposure to local Riverside jobs and businesses.”

The GROW program is part of a larger initiative known as RISE, or Riverside Intern Skills Engagement, officials said. RISE is an umbrella-like effort that has a range of age groups for anyone interested in internships. About 60 people have been placed as interns in city departments, such as Public Works, General Services, Human Resources and other agencies.

A component of the RISE program is a team of paid fellows who work 1,000 hours through the state’s #CaliforniansForAll Youth Job Corps program, as well as students who receive school credit for their work.

City officials noted that RISE students‘ schedules are tailored to what they can feasibly balance with school work and other commitments.

The next GROW cohort will assemble this summer with participant recruitment starting in early spring.

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