While spring has barely arrived, now is the time to line up a summer job or find top-notch young talent to help your business grow. Westchester County's Private Sector Summer Jobs Initiative is here to help.

Now in its fifth year, the program connects smart and highly-motivated 18 to 24 year-olds who are looking for summer employment with companies that are seeking additional support.

At this year's kickoff event on Thursday, hosted by White Plains-based The Digital Arts Experience, the county announced its goal to find summer jobs for 225 youths. To reach this target, the county is utilizing a new online interviewing platform to better showcase the county's young workforce and speed up the hiring process.

"Our businesses need energetic, eager, hard-working talent and our young people need income and experience to build their resumes. This program fills both needs," said County Executive Robert P. Astorino. "And it does it without public subsidies. We are working with partners that are skilled at making these connections, and we are utilizing technology to do it efficiently."

Last year, the program hired 208 youths through 122 businesses, which generated about $325,000 in salaries. The average hourly wage was $8.66 and ranged up to $16. Out of the youth group, 15 landed permanent jobs when the summer season had ended.

Some of this year's participating businesses include Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Home Depot, Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson and Oasis Day Camp.

This year, the county is utilizing Candid Capture, a fast and easy online video interview service that allows employers to see the person behind the resume anytime, from anywhere, thereby shortening the hiring process. The youth will simply record and upload their video interviews through the secure, password-protected software. Resumes, reference letters and work samples can also be included with each profile. Candid Capture is being provided free of charge to the county, courtesy of Allison Madison, president of Madison Approach Staffing and a WIB board member.

"I am so excited to offer Candid Capture to the Private Sector Summer Jobs Initiative," said Madison. "Videos provide our young adults an opportunity to shine. Since they are young and just starting out, many have little to put on a resume. What they do have is their exuberance, personality and individual character. Those are things you cannot put on a resume, but Candid Capture provides them with a platform to demonstrate them to a prospective employer."

The initiative is a public-private partnership between the Westchester-Putnam Workforce Investment Board (WIB), The Business Council of Westchester and dozens of local businesses and youth service agencies.

"A well prepared, educated workforce is the key to economic growth for Westchester County. Our talented, diverse and motivated young people are our future workforce," said Dr. Marsha Gordon, The Business Council of Westchester CEO and president and a WIB board member.

"The Private Sector Summer Jobs program creates great opportunities to strengthen the skills of Westchester's future business and community leaders and provide valuable links to the business community."
More than a dozen youth and business owners turned out at Thursday's kickoff to praise the program.

"When I set out to find an intern for the summer I never thought it would be so easy," said Dorothy Aguiar, owner of Elmsford-based Apple Maintenance Services. "They determined what our criterion was, matched us with qualified candidates and put us in direct contact with them. I immediately started interviews and hired an intern within a short period of time. They made the hiring process simple and stress-free."

"I am very grateful for this opportunity that Apple Maintenance Services has provided me," said Sadby Arellano, who was hired by the company last summer and still works there while attending college. "I have learned a lot. For example I've learned the daily operations of an office, I've gotten the experience to work with new people, and I had the opportunity to learn accounting on the computer."

Businesses and youth interested in finding out more should visit WestchesterSummerJobs.com or contact Ebony White of The Business Council of Westchester at (914) 948-2110 x303 or .

Photo: Leaders from Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino's office, the Westchester-Putnam Workforce Investment Board (WIB), The Business Council of Westchester as well as business owners and young people came together at The Digital Arts Experience in White Plains to kick off the Private Sector Summer Jobs Initiative, now in its fifth year.

Left to right: Alec Maclean, Darryl Matthew Brickouse, Justin Hayes, John Zanzarella, Silverback Social chief marketing officer, Allison Madison, Madison Approach Staffing president, Dr. Marsha Gordon, The Business Council of Westchester president, Deputy County Executive Kevin J. Plunkett, David Singer, WIB chair and owner of Robison Oil, Wiley Harrison, WIB Youth Council chair, Shaneice Johnson, Alvin McShaw, Dorothy Aguiar, owner of Apple Maintenance Services, Sabdy Arellano, Antwan Crosbe, Ryan Shannen, Zequan Simpson, Christine Sculti, senior advisor to County Executive Robert P. Astorino, Donnovan Beckford, Westchester-Putnam One-Stop Employment Center director, Iris Pagan, Westchester County Youth Bureau executive director and Kelsey Belgrave.