Teens Find Summer Jobs With Help From Michigan Works!

Several teens are helping the US Forest Service maintain recreation areas this summer along the Manistee and Pine rivers. The young adults got the jobs through the Northwest Michigan Works! Summer Youth Employment Program. Watch the video to hear the workers talk about what having the jobs means to them.

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Nate Solis is part of a summer field service crew that helps the U.S. Forest Service maintain recreation sites along the Manistee and Pine rivers. It's Solis' first real summer job and he got it through the Northwest Michigan Works! Summer Youth Employment program.

"If it wasn't for Michigan Works, I probably would be still looking for jobs," said Solis.

Being on the summer crew is also giving Levi Mattison a chance to earn his first regular paycheck. He heard about the program from his brother who got a summer job through Michigan Works! a couple of years ago.

"For me, still in school, I can't really get a full-time job," said Mattison. "This works perfect because it's part-time just through my summer."

This is Brendan Wayward's second year with the Summer Youth Program. He was happy to hear he could be part of the program again this year.

"It means a lot because I'll be going in to college the end of next month and I'll definitely be needing the money," said Wayward.

Besides earning a regular paycheck the Summer Youth Program also gives these young men a chance to learn job skills they'll be able to use in the future.

"I try to really emphasize accountability," said Bob Schultz, the Forest Service Field Service Crew leader. "You have to be where you're supposed to be when you're supposed to be there."

"Because this is one of my first jobs it's teaching me a lot about work and responsibility," said Solis.

"Working together as a team is a big part of it," said Wayward. "You learn a lot about overall skills that you'll need once you get in to the workforce."