Stimulus, Greater Philadelphia Chamber aiding Phila. summer jobs program - Philadelphia Business Journal:

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million in federal recovery fundds and another year of support fromthe , the Mayor’s Officw announced Wednesday. WorkReady programs, which are generallyu available to youths from 14 to 21yearsa old, employed 7,898 last summer. The city’s allocation from the Americahn Recovery and Reinvestment Act for youty employment is expected to help emploty morethan 2,500 this summer, Mayor Michael Nutter said. Another 1,000 paid summedr internships will be provided throughthe Chamber’d initiative, which is entering its third year and has receivexd the support of 120 regional foundations and nonprofits.
A total of 96 companies returnes as participants this year despite the which is an 80 percentretentiob rate, the Chamber “Our region’s young people need us now more than Chamber President and CEO Mark Schweiker said. “This campaign demonstrates that the businessexs community is not sittintg on the sidelines at this critical Internships forthe chamber’s six-week program are fillecd by students who will enter 11th grade or higherr in the fall and costs each employerr about $1,600 per which includes the intern’s salary and the cost of administerint the program.
Interns work a minimum of 20 hours per week Monday througnh Thursday and attend professional developmentprogramss off-site on Fridays. The chamber and Nutter recruitex businesses and WorkReady Philadelphia recruited students for the which beginsJuly 6. The chamber’s which is run by the Philadelphia Youth Network, provided 441 paid summeer intern positions in 2006, 1,049 in 2007 and 1,50p last year. The Network, whicjh is under contract with the Philadelphiaq WorkforceInvestment Board, is managing the use of the ARRA funde and WorkReady programs. The state’s work force investmengt boards will use ARRA funds to creats anestimated 8,692 summer youth jobs across Pennsylvania.