Young Adult Career Academy Internship

2026 Young Adult Career Academy **HOURLY RATE** **:** $19.832282 **THE OPPORTUNITY:** Ramsey County Workforce Solutions is proud to host our Young Adult Career Academy (YACA), a paid career exploration and internship experience. YACA is a part of Ramsey County’s Public Pathways Program and is designed to introduce local talent to careers at Ramsey County. YACA is open to Ramsey County residents ages 18-25 who are interested in learning more about careers in government, and who meet the programs eligibility criteria (see list of criteria below). This program is a 20-week commitment; during the first 10-weeks participants will rotate within departments across the county to learn more about the unique roles of county staff and to engage in professional development and job skills workshops. Professional learning topics include digital literacy, financial literacy, resume writing, personal empowerment, and more. The remaining 10 weeks will be spent in a paid internship within a designated county department such as Parks & Recreation, Public Works, Social Services, etc. ***Important Information:*** - Participants are expected to commit to the full duration of the program from August 17^th –^December 23^rd^, 2026. 1. Weeks 1-10 Career Exploration: August 17^th –^October 16^th^ 2. Weeks 11 – 20 Extended Internships: October 19^th –^December 23^rd^ - The weekly commitment is Mon-Friday 9:00am –1:00pm, with professional development on Fridays. 1. Throughout the program participants will engage in professional development workshops and receive career coaching and job skills development. - Participants will be paid $19.83/hour and may receive support services (i.e. bus/gas cards for transportation assistance, business casual attire, etc.). - YACA orientation is planned to be held on August 17^th^ from 9:00am –12:00pm and is mandatory for all participants. - Candidate interviews will occur on August 3^rd^ and 4^th^, ***candidates must be available to interview on these dates***. **Parks and Recreation – Soil & Water and Community Engagement,** *Maplewood* Manages nine county parks, six regional parks and five regional trail corridors with miles of trails that are perfect for walking, biking, mountain biking or cross-country skiing through the County's diverse landscape. We also run 13 sheets of ice, a fieldhouse, three golf courses and a nature center. Participants will develop an understanding of the different jobs within the Parks Department, what goes into planning and maintaining the parks and facilities as well as understanding outdoor programming and community engagement. **Public Works,** *Arden Hills* Oversees the construction and maintenance of the county’s transportation system (roads, bridges, traffic signals, road signs and storm water drains) and maintains the county’s fleet of cars, dump trucks and construction/maintenance equipment. Participants will gain in-office and outdoor field experience by learning how roadway property is established, how roadway projects are constructed and how the condition of roads/ drainage systems are inspected. As well as the maintenance/repair of highway signs, roadways, small engine tools and fleet vehicles. **Emergency Communications Center,** Saint Paul Fields emergency and non-emergency telephone calls and text messages. Calls are prioritized and dispatched to police and/or fire personnel. Participants will learn the basics of what Public Safety Dispatchers and Telecommunicators do as well as listening to live 911 calls and observe the dispatching process. **Additional Experiences Included** Opportunities to learn about public sector careers & additional career pathways, how to apply for jobs in Ramsey County, use of social media platforms such as LinkedIn, meeting with County Commissioners, and tours of county/city facilities. **ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:** - Participants must live in Ramsey County - Have an interest in employment at Ramsey County and/or in government - Be between the ages of…