Colorado city's grants help fuel small business employee pipeline
Great Arvada Chamber of Commerce spearheaded a small business employee pipeline with city grants that have positively impacted the lives of mentors and interns alike. This began a number of years ago, and it's becoming a lasting program in the community.
People are hard at work at Footers in Arvada, doing the prep work needed for upcoming catering events. But it's their younger cohort of interns and apprentices there that makes a big difference.
As cooks prep, Austin Jarvis listens.
"I looked at this opportunity as being a sponge, Jarvis told CBS News Colorado.
This is his passion and his place of Zen.
But, just a couple years ago as a student at Arvada high school, he wasn't sure of his direction.
"I don't even know if I would've found my passion as a chef if it wasn't for this guide," Jarvis said.
Luckily for him, Footers, a catering business on Wadsworth Boulevard, was a part of what's called a work-based learning program in collaboration with the city of Arvada.
"We saw it as a really fun opportunity to use that resource to bring on younger interns and apprentices to really help develop into this culinary industry," said Thach Tran, Footers executive chef.
It can be a variety of things from internships to apprenticeships. Grant money from the city is being used for certifications and online courses to help create a pipeline for young adults entering the workforce.
"It gives an opportunity for the employer and the employee -- or potential employee -- to come learn what it means to be within that company and to have that on-the-job training," added Kami Welch, the president of the Arvada Chamber of Commerce.
For Jarvis, it meant having access to training programs essential for working in restaurants.
"The grant allowed us to have that resource free, so our employees didn't have to pay it out of pocket," Tran said.
"I'm excited to do this," Jarvis said of his apprenticeship period. "This is my passion, and this is who I am."
It led to a full-time job with the catering company.
"He's really grown with our company as well and is someone we want to keep long term," Tran said of Jarvis.
Jarvis now serves as a model for the program and those trying to break into a job market that's tougher than ever.
Over $400,000 have been disbursed by the chamber to 47 different businesses already, and they hope that, if this round is successful, the city can go back and deliver another round.
