Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) has opened a new round of grant funding aimed at helping employers offer summer internships to give Iowa’s youth new job training opportunities.
The Summer Youth Internship Program aids businesses and other employers in generating summer work experiences in high-demand fields. The program, IWD said in a Wednesday, Jan. 24 news release, aims to drive new career interests and build a workforce pipeline for Iowa employers.
Applications are now open at iowagrants.gov. They will be accepted through Monday, Feb. 16.
Eligible grant applicants include nonprofits, educational institutions, employers, and community organizations. Priority funding will be given to programs that:
- Provide internships to youth at risk of not graduating, from low-income households, or who face barriers to upward mobility in the labor market.
- Demonstrate their ability to recruit and co-enroll internship participants in their local area Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I Youth Program.
Interested organizations can learn more during IWD’s grant webinar. It’s at 1 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 22. Register here to participate in the webinar.
Program requirements
Internship programs must be based in a high-demand occupation as determined by the state. (View Iowa’s high-demand occupations list). Awarded funds can be used for participant wages, compensation after program completion, training resources, program supplies and materials, and administrative costs.
“Equipping our workforce for the future means creating meaningful experiences in industries across the workforce, and this program is a gateway to a future career,” IWD Executive Director Beth Townsend said in the release. “The Summer Youth Internship Program not only helps students discover rewarding careers, it also gives employers a chance to invest in their future talent pipeline.”
She added: “We encourage eligible businesses across Iowa to take advantage of this program and jumpstart a meaningful internship this summer.”
For a full list of grant requirements and the notice of funding visit IWD’s Summer Youth Internship Program page.
