Commissioner Gary Molloy has announced the official kick-off of the V.I. Department of Labor’s (VIDOL) 2020 Summer Labor Investing for Tomorrow’s Program (LIFT) that will take place July 1-Aug. 28. All the candidates that applied for the 2020 LIFT program have been selected. The application process remained the same and included a required essay. Applicants had to be in their 3rd or 4th year of college and have a grade point average (GPA) no lower than a 2.8.
During the COVID-19 State of Emergency, VIDOL was able to make some creative changes to secure the viability of the program. This year’s program will feature a virtual project-based and/or role specific structure that will include learning outcomes that expose interns to self-directed and prescribed career skills.
“These changes could not come at a better time. As the Department uses the national data to streamline the science of employment training for our youth, we see that the demand for these skills in telework and virtual service is increasing. This program will give an intensive outlook on the skill requirements that are emerging and evolving. Our youth now have an opportunity to be a part of a robust program that prepares them for the future in a way that has never been seen before,” said Commissioner Gary Molloy.
Key changes in workforce data indicate that “there are 53 million freelancers in America today. By 2020, 50 percent of the U.S. workforce will be freelancers.”
The skills needed for the future workforce will include such ideas as Time Management, Project Management, Problem Solving Data Gathering and Business Analysis, Influencing/Selling and Communication Skills.
Some character traits include being a self-starter, self-driven, motivated, change agile, flexible and good networkers.
The LIFT Business Challenge Project Key Goals:
- Interns are introduced to future demands in job specification that the experience will closely align to.
- Interns receive a meaningful project that helps develop the skills that will be needed for today’s workforce.
- Reporting and receiving regular feedback to support the intern’s growth and development.
- Engage in a virtual environment that represents a cutting-edge use of technology that gives a competitive edge to LIFT Interns.