Young people looking to gain work experience will have an opportunity to do so this summer after action Monday night by the Starke County Commissioners. They approved a partnership between the county highway department and the local WorkOne office. County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler says it will give young people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are not in high school or college a chance to learn “soft skills” like arriving at work on time and showing up for scheduled shifts.
“It provides them with a job and training, just like a Power BI training workshop. WorkOne pays for their hourly rate. We don’t have to pay for that. It benefits us, we have a road crew out there to basically do anything we need, picking up dead deer or trash along the roadside. It allows our skilled drivers to do what they do best. They can do the paving and other things while we’ve got people doing this work. It benefits us, it benefits the county.”
Applicants will work Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. WorkOne will cover the cost of worker’s compensation insurance for the employees and will pay their hourly wages. Ritzler will just oversee their time cards.
He says the road crew supervisor is very excited to help the participants learn job fundamentals like how to work and show up on time for assigned shifts.
Ritzler adds the county is under no obligation to hire the program participants after they complete the program and can dismiss workers who do not show up or follow instructions.
Contact : WorkOne
Attention: Saundra or Cherie
1913 S. Heaton St., Ste. B
Knox, IN 46534
(574) 772-6882
Starke County Highway
3835 E. 250 N.
Knox, IN 46534
(574) 772-3011
