By Chelsea Vance | The Selma Times-Journal

The Alabama Career Center System of Selma is working to provide young adults ages 18-24 with work-based learning and internships.

The program started in October 2015 as an initiative of the Alabama Workforce Investment Area (AWIA) of the Alabama Department of Commerce Workforce Development Division.

The program is funded through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Participants are paid $7.25 per hour for 30 hours per week for a 13-week period or a maximum of 390 hours.

The program requires applicants to pass a basic math and reading assessment. They must also provide information for the past six months of their household income.

Each participant will then have to do an assessment that records their personal interests and skills. The center will then work to match each young person with a job site that they will enjoy or that is in a career field that they are interested in.

Clifford Hunter, the site manager of the Alabama Career Center System, said that young adults will learn all kinds of skills.

“Clerical, general, maintenance, ground keeping, it really just depends on the youth,” Hunter said.

So far, job sites include the city of Selma, Wallace Community College Selma, the Department of Human Resources, the District Attorney’s Office and others.

Hunter said the center is working to recruit other employers to participate in the program. He specifically named Concordia College Alabama as a site that the center is looking to add to the list.

“I think this is a great opportunity for our youth who are really serious and interested in entering the workforce. It is a great opportunity to learn. We just hope that they take advantage of it,” Hunter said.

Those who are interested in the program should contact Hunter at (334) 872-0471 or stop by at 1112 Water Ave. in Selma.