Some 6,500 students have a chance to explore new high-tech career opportunities this summer, thanks to a portion of Missouri's federal stimulus funding that was used to create the Next Generation Jobs Team, ABC News reports.
As the nation's unemployment rate approaches 10 percent, such workforce development programs may be used to evaluate the success of the stimulus package. This eight-week program aims to get students between the ages of 16 and 24 to work in hands-on, high-tech jobs across the state, opening their eyes to career options in fields not typical for summer jobs.
For instance, Kalia Newton intended to major in finance at the University of Missouri in Columbia. But she was inspired to add nursing as a second major after she got work through the program at a Kansas City health care technology firm. The job was a definite step up from her summer job last year.
"Last year, all I did was answer phones, file patient records, update patient records, call insurance companies," she said. "But now, I get to actually dig into Web sites about birthing centers or about Medicaid or Medicare, actually get to use my brain instead of doing the same thing all day."
Missouri received almost three times more applications than there were slots available. State administrators believe the program will train Missouri's workforce for future industries.
For the complete story, visit abcnews.go.com.
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