Southwestern Area
Catron • Doña Ana • Grant • Hidalgo • Luna • Sierra • Socorro Counties
SW Region Town Hall: Youth Services During COVID-19
Thursday, February 25, 2021 via Zoom
WIOA Youth Program Manager Marcos Peña spoke about the services available to out-of-school youth ages 16-24, defined the 14 Youth Elements under the Workforce Information and Opportunity Act (WIOA), and listed the program qualifications.
You can contact Marco Peña at MPena@ydinm.org
Rebecca Sisneros, Youth Engagement Coordinator with the Department of Workforce Solutions introduced career Readiness Tools and resources, where to find these tools, and additional information for parents and educators. Ms. Sisneros also talked about employment for teenagers and important information they need to know.
You can contact Rebecca Sisneros at Rebecca.Sisneros@state.nm.us
Career Specialist Jeff Waugh with the Las Cruces Public Schools talked about Career Readiness, Pathways to Graduation, Academic Career Experience (ACE), and current initiatives.
You can contact Jeff Waugh at JWaugh@lcps.net
Steve Duran, WIOA Administrator for the Southwestern area, was the Moderator.
Questions and Answers
The following are some questions and answers shared during the Town Hall.
To protect the privacy of individuals, customer-specific questions were not addressed in this Town Hall.
Q: At what age would a teen need a work permit and how can they get one?
A: You will need a work permit if you are 14 or 15 years old. Once you become 16, you no longer need a work permit.
The forms needed to obtain a work permit can be found at
https://www.dws.state.nm.us/Child-Labor.
The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions is currently accepting work permits via email and fax. Contact information is included in the link.
Q: What if I am not doing well in school but I need a job. Can someone help me find a job and help me with my grades?
A: Visit with your school counselor and principal. We will come up with a plan. Career exploration will be tool used to determine your interests. We do not want to place you in just a job. We want it to be something you will enjoy and related to the career you want to pursue.
The WIOA Youth Services program can help with job placement too and will work with the school to ensure we work with the plan created for you. The program has tutoring services available.
Resources
Please visit the following links for additional resources related to Youth Services and Career Readiness
New Mexico Workforce Connection
Youth Services
Click the following video to view the recorded event...