For many young adults, getting that first job can be one of the most difficult steps in building a career. Without prior experience, it can be hard to find opportunities that lead to long-term employment. Workforce Solutions’ Paid Work Experience Program helps bridge that gap by connecting youth with real work opportunities across local employers.
The program serves individuals ages 16 to 24 and focuses on helping participants gain hands-on experience while exploring their career interests. Ivana Ihezue, Paid Work Experience Coordinator at Workforce Solutions’ Willowbrook location, explained how the program is designed to support youth as they enter the workforce.
“We meet with them to know what their career goals are and we partner with different worksites around the north Houston area,” Ihezue said.
At the City of Ames, the program has provided interns with meaningful, real-world experience. Monica Lucio, who works with the youth team, shared how the partnership supports both participants and employers.
“The City of Ames has been really helpful in terms of helping our interns with that work experience,” Lucio said.
City leadership also sees the program as an investment in the community’s future. Barbara Domain noted that the program helps young people build a strong foundation early in their careers.
“It gives youth and younger people the opportunity to get some hands-on work experience,” Domain said. “It helps them start at a very young age learning these things, and it helps them to sustain a really good job.”
For participants like Drekhari Harris, the program has opened doors that might not have been available otherwise. After connecting with Workforce Solutions, Harris was matched with a placement close to home and began building real-world skills.
“They helped me get into where I was trying to go,” Harris said. “Here I’ve learned many good things.”
From plumbing and maintenance tasks to understanding workplace expectations, participants gain practical experience that helps prepare them for future careers. City leaders say that experience can make a lasting difference.
“Being able to get their own hands-on experience will really help them stay in that role for a long time,” Domain said.
For Workforce Solutions, the Paid Work Experience Program is about more than short-term training—it’s about long-term opportunity. By connecting young people with employers like the City of Ames, the program helps build confidence, develop skills, and create pathways to permanent employment.
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