SIMI VALLEY, THOUSAND OAKS : Summer Jobs Offered for Young People

Organizers of a Ventura County job training program announced that 160 summer jobs are available to young people in Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks.

The program, organized by the Job Training Policy Council of Ventura County, will offer temporary employment and job training to county residents between the ages of 14 and 21.

To qualify for the program, applicants must be economically disadvantaged or be enrolled in a special education program.

The summer-long effort is part of a plan to revive the economy in the county and to prepare young people for the job market.

The council, a federally funded nonprofit group, had 1,300 public sector jobs ranging from landscaping to clerical work available for youths from around the county.

Of those, the only remaining positions are 86 slated for residents of Simi Valley and 74 open to residents of Thousand Oaks. Employees in the program work for six to nine weeks and earn an average of $1,000.

If the youths need special training, they will be paid for time in the classroom as well.

“The program serves a number of purposes,” said Aram Saroyan, spokesman for the council. “Not only do we provide jobs and training for our young people, but when a teen-ager receives a paycheck, that money is usually spent in local businesses.

“It works out well for everyone,” Saroyan said.

The process of matching applicants with appropriate jobs will begin over the next several weeks. To apply for a position, call (800) 500-7705.