- Video shows Heartland Workforce Solutions and fliers of upcoming events.
- Jon Lucas, a teenager from North Omaha, dreams of becoming a firefighter. However, he faces the challenge of finding a job to pay for his college due to his lack of work experience.
- David Vaughn, with the Heartland Workforce Solutions, aims to simplify the job search for all people in the community but especially for young adults, with limited access.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Finding a job can be challenge for almost everyone. Stats show people in North Omaha struggle more when it comes to securing a job.
At 60th and Ames, I'm Melissa Wright your North Omaha Neighborhood reporter where one non-profit is working to make the job hunt easier for the community.
19-year-old Jon Lucas hopes to be a firefighter one day and joined the WIOW Youth Program through the Heartland Workforce Solutions.
“I’m going through courses right now just to teach me the ropes and stuff like that. And my case manager actually is going to do like a mock interview just to get me prepared for jobs and stuff,” said Lucas.
Lucas is planning to go college in the fall he needs a job to not only pay for college but to make a living for now.
"A lot of it ties into my resume or whatever the format here is kind of simple and plain but as long as you have enough work experience, it will kind of work out,” said Lucas.
Lucas says a big part of looking for a job is having the experience on your resume which is a challenge when you’re young.
“I don’t per se have a lot go work experience but they they definitely try to find jobs where it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been working,” said Lucas.
David Vaughn, one-stop manager at Heartland Workforce Solutions says they try to make it as simple as possible for the youth.
"A lot of the youth we see, don’t have work skills… they don’t have work experience,” said Vaughn.
The program sets them up for success by putting them in front of employers that are willing to help them build their resume.
"Employers that serve as host work sites , to provide opportunities for youth to gain work skills and then they're able to put that on their resume or put that on a resume that they have yet to develop.”
Heartland Workforce Solutions has three programs: the Work Force Innovation and Opportunity Act, the Adult/ Dislocated Worker and the Senior Community Service Employment Program.
The non-profit will host their "Make It Rain" career fair this Wednesday from 4 to 6 at the Heartland Workforce Solutions building.
