Workforce Investment Act
The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) was designed to foster the development of a national workforce preparation and employment system. Recognizing that education, training, and career development are critical to the success of vulnerable youth as they enter the labor force, WIA offers a funding stream designed for management of services at the local level, where partnerships between employers and potential employees are most easily established. Funding provided by WIA Title I functions as a portion of a larger youth services system that supports youth in the community while also building economic self-sufficiency.

WIA-funded programs are designed to serve the most at-risk youth in our region. In FY11, the South Shore Workforce Investment Board is contracted with five (5) WIA youth services vendors throughout the region to provide GED, occupational skills and job readiness training to out-of-school and in-school youth. All WIA programs are administered by the South Coastal Career Development Administration.

Summer YouthWorks
Summer YouthWorks is a state appropriated, publicly subsidized program. In addition to providing paid summer employment, the grant requires that 20% of the award be matched by employers. The program is designed to provide paid summer employment opportunities to in-school and out-of-school youth 14-21 who live in Quincy, Randolph or Weymouth and are eligible for free or reduced lunch. From June through August 2010, at least 33 will work in a wide range of industries including hospitality, non-profit and automotive services, in jobs spanning customer service, automotive technology, food service and maintenance as well as other roles. Quincy Public Schools administered this grant, as it has since the summer of 2007.

YouthLinks Summer Youth Employment Program (ARRA)
This summer youth employment program was funded through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA). It is designed to serve WIA-eligible youth, 14-24 years of age and living in the South Shore region. In the summer of 2010, this program, will provide paid employment as well as job readiness training to more than 100 youth in the South Shore region.

Connecting Activities
Connecting Activities is a Department of Elementary and Secondary Education initiative designed to drive and sustain the statewide school-to-career system. Working in partnership with the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, it establishes public-private partnerships through the 16 local Workforce Investment Boards to connect schools and businesses to provide structured work-based learning experiences for students that support both academic and employability skill attainment. In FY11, the South Shore Workforce Investment Board anticipates that we will work with the Quincy, Plymouth, Braintree and Randolph public schools to support employer-paid employment and job readiness opportunities.