The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development granted Hamilton County $248,000 to grow its Youth Employment Program, the county announced in a press release from County Mayor Weston Wamp's office.
The funding allows the county to create more part-time, paid internships for people ages 16 to 24 to work up to 25 hours a week — offering career exposure across several departments, skill-building and wages that top out at $3,500, the release said.
Youth employment programs have proven to be effective in preparing the next generation for the workforce," Wamp said in the release.
Hamilton County is the only local government in Tennessee participating in the program, the release said. From 2023 to 2025, 130 students participated, receiving over $270,000 in wages.
Hamilton County Deputy Director of Outreach & Economic Initiatives Daniel Bewley said in a phone interview that the new grant money will help county officials bring more outside partners, reach more students in a shorter amount of time and contribute to the economic growth of the county, whether that's through interns tackling record digitization or content creation for the county fair.
"I've heard various examples of how they're able to really benefit the county as far as addressing some of our larger needs ... but we haven't had the manpower to properly address," Bewley said.
Wamp's spokesperson, Haley Burton, said in a phone interview that the program aligns with Wamp's broader mission of making the county government more efficient. Interns are working to make county government better serve its constituents, she said.
"We're finding youth, helping them, giving them opportunities to help them be more successful in the future in the workforce," she said. "And also, we're finding talent that we could hire into county government one day."
Briana White, 20, an intern working in the county Finance Department, recommended the program for other young students.
"It's not really something that's glamorized," White said in a phone interview. "It's a really good opportunity, especially for those who don't know that local government is really an option.
The program accepts residents from any Tennessee county. To apply, contact Jennifer Thurman at JThurman@hamiltontn.gov.
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