Employment 101 for local youth from workforce center

Hannah Meade is looking for a job. She is 17 years old, is a home school student, has an entrepreneurial spirit and has several applications in the works.

Meade lives in Elbert County and has in years past had babysitting and dog sitting jobs that have kept her busy. But like many kids her age, she has never had a formal job interview, has yet to fill out her first W-4 and is dipping her toe in her first official search for work.

She was among four teens who attended the Youth Career Day hosted by the Elizabeth Workforce Center, which delivered lessons on how to dress for an interview, filling out a job application and the importance of bringing your A-game to the job every single day.

Some A-game tips include bringing the right attitude, appearance, attendance and ambition to the job, every day.

“I’m really searching for a job,” Meade said. “It’s really hard.”

The workforce center is financed by the state department of labor and employment, matching employers with job seekers in local markets. The Elizabeth center serves Elbert County and the surrounding area with a database that includes matches for first-time employees like Meade.

Her peers at Youth Career Day included young men who had variously worked as volunteers, in school theater productions or had no job experience. All hope to have a summer job by the time school is out.

Among the lessons on career day were presentations from local professionals in jobs from real estate and graphic design to journalism and forensic science.

Upcoming workshops at the Elizabeth Workforce Center include a social media workshop for marketing your small business, from 5 – 7 p.m., May 24, at the Elizabeth Library at 651 Beverly Street. Participants must be registered with www.connectingcolorado.com. For more information call 303-646-2783.