The college is offering jobs for at-risk youth this summer that qualifies those same youngsters for a year-round program that pays tuition for college courses.

Sign-ups for the youth job program are today.

Florida Keys Community College, based on Stock Island, will oversee the South Florida Workforce Summer Youth Employment Program for Monroe County for the first time, spokeswoman Amber Ernst-Leonard said.

"The program provides work-readiness training and $10-an-hour summer jobs with local employers for low-income, at-risk, 18- to 24-year-old Monroe County residents," she said. "It's a great way for kids to spend the summer; instead of long, hot boring days figuring out what to do, they will be important employees with nonprofits, local government agencies and other organizations."

Federal stimulus money has allowed the hiring of more employees in the program, Ernst-Leonard said. The youngsters are paid through federal stimulus money and grants received by the South Florida Workforce program.

"These youths will get work experience, and the local businesses will benefit with free help over the summer, as well as the satisfaction of mentoring these kids," she said. "If they qualify for the summer program, they will automatically qualify for the year-round program, which pays for tuition for college classes."

All those interested should go to today's Goombay Sum-mer Fest on Whitehead Street from 2:30 to 6 p.m. and the Tropical Fiesta at the Truman Waterfront from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., where a mobile recruiting van with the South Florida Workforce logo on it will be open for sign-ups, Leonard said.

Applicants should bring a photo identification, Social Security card and birth certificate with them. For more information, call Jeff Pearson or Gwynn Milner at 305-809-3195.

jguerra@keysnews.com