Upon the COVID-19 pandemic, the Californian government has launched a $185 million jobs program aimed at putting disadvantaged young adults to work. This issue addresses helping their respective communities while gaining beneficial skills for their future jobs. Many Amador students look forward to getting summer jobs at local businesses, such as the famous Meadowlark Dairy which is primarily student-run. 

“I had a job over the summer working for this catering company, and I loved working with so many different people. I gained tons of essential skills and knowledge from my coworkers while also having a blast. I feel like summer jobs for teens are a great way for them to socialize, make a bit of extra money, and obtain important skills for later on in their careers,” said Danny Huang (‘22). 

According to California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday, the first phase will issue $150 million available to 13 large cities while the second phase will provide $35 million to smaller counties and cities based on selective decision making. The focus of the plan revolves around recruiting young adults to increase youth employment in underserved communities. 

“When I started my job at Walmart, I found it easier to stick to my schedule every day, almost like a routine. This helped me balance my homework, lacrosse practice, and shifts at my job. It felt really productive,” said Aryo Garakani (‘23).

Jobs can be difficult to balance between homework, sports, and other extracurriculars that high school students are involved in. However, it has been found by many that jobs do improve time management skills to plan out one’s day. 

“During my time at my recent job over the weekends, I have gained valuable experience with improving my communication skills. I managed customer relations which required me to directly communicate with my boss, coworkers, and customers. Working with others first-handedly, I have learned how to work with people cooperatively,” said Sara Vannoni (‘23).  

 As a new initiative, California Governor Gavin Newsom plans to implement this new funding to go along with his 2021-2022 California Comeback Plan. California’s new plan will seek to help out thousands of students obtain more job opportunities in order to secure more vital life skills for the future, and some to even help out their families financially.