Low-income youths ages 14 to 24 are set to be the next segment of the county to benefit from federal stimulus funds.

Lancaster County Workforce Investment Board, with funding via the U.S. Labor Board, will provide public-sector employment for these youths this summer, Scott Sheely, executive director, said.

"We've been allowed the freedom to tie (the stimulus funding) to other things we do," Sheely said. "We hook work experience to training."

A variety of opportunities will be available for youths, he said.

For teens ages 14 and 15, there will be two weeklong Career Camps to allow them to explore real-world career opportunities, he said. These camps will be held June 15 to 19 and June 22 to 26.

For those ages 16 to 24, employment opportunities will "run the spectrum," Sheely said.

They will receive short-term skill training at PA Career Link of Lancaster County before they can work in the six-week placements that will begin in midsummer and last through August, he said.

"We have 175 to 200 entities with 400 jobs available to these kids," Sheely said.

Sheely said the youths will not be picking up trash or running a floor scrubber. Instead, they will be learning construction, office skills and green-energy conservation, he said.

To participate in the program, interested young people must attend an information session to determine eligibility. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent. Documentation to bring includes a birth certificate, driver's license, Pennsylvania identification card and/or school ID.

Information sessions will be held at the following times and places:

• 4 to 8 p.m. today at Lancaster County Career & Technology Center Brownstown Campus, Snyder and Metzler roads, Brownstown.

• 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Lancaster County Career & Technology Center Willow Street Campus, 1730 Hans Herr Drive, Willow Street.

• 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Lancaster County Career & Technology Center Mount Joy Campus, 432 Old Market St., Mount Joy.

• 1 to 5 p.m. Friday at PA CareerLink of Lancaster County, 1016 N. Charlotte St.

For more information, contact Anna Ramos at the PA CareerLink at 291-1231, ext. 224, or Andrew Garner at the Lancaster County Workforce Investment Board at 735-0333.

E-mail: lvaningen@lnpnews.com