West Alabama Works hoping more companies will join IGNITE to offer summer jobs to students

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) - With summer is still months away, a West Alabama group is already making sure jobs are available for teenagers looking for work over those summer months.

West Alabama Works created the IGNITE program more than a year ago.

That program and job portal helps teenagers looking for jobs find them.

It connects students ages 14 to 18 years-old to internships, career exploration and work experience in West Alabama.

Kids will make money and learn what it takes to get and keep a job.

Donny Jones, the Executive Director for West Alabama Works, says it fills a need for businesses looking for workers, but right now, they have more potential employees than job openings.

Jones says there are only 70 or more jobs posted in the portal.

They’re encouraging more companies to come aboard and join the IGNITE program.

“Well, one of the things that we’re really focused on is getting more employers to actually post their jobs,” Jones said. “We have over 700 that are already in our system saying I want a summer job. And so, we need more of our local companies, more of our food service companies that can hire students temporarily during the summer.”

Jones adds money is even available to help those businesses pay those teen employees through IGNITE.

You can find out more information about the IGNITE by going to WAWStudentJobs.com.

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