High Schoolers Earn While They Learn

With the job market as weak as it is, a lot of young people could use a boost to their fledgling careers.

But many U.P. high school students are learning valuable career skills while putting money in their pockets this summer.

Michigan Works! has them in the Earn While You Learn program.

This year, they’re calling the program ‘Put Some Green In Your Jeans’.

High schoolers are working 4 days a week on community projects.

Then on Fridays they’re trained in various skills.

Today, it was customer service.

Negaunee High School student Alex Pascoe thinks the training will help with his resume, even though the customer service theme doesn’t quite match up with his work for the season.

Pascoe’s project is to rehabilitate a public park in Negaunee.

He and some other teens have surveyed the park for damage, determined what would be needed to fix it and how much it would cost, and then they got to it.

Pascoe says his group made a Power Point presentation of their work to Negaunee parks and rec staff.

Nearly 250 young people across the U.P. are taking part in the Earn While You Learn program.