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Job stimulus is coming to Genesee County in the form of two programs that are designed to either help laid off workers get back work or youths find jobs and learn new careers.

A total of $1.6 million of stimulus money is going to the Job Development Bureau, according to Director Scott Gage.

In one program, out-of-work people can apply either for a job that will involve on-the-job training, and the government will pay 50 percent of their wages, or youths can take part-time jobs in July and August with the agency picking up 100 percent of the tab.

"Our goal is to get the money into the community as quickly as possible," Gage said. "The majority of the money will be spent this year, because obviously, the goal of the stimulus plan is to turn the economy around quickly."

These are not new programs, but the amount of funding for them is substantially more than originally budgeted.

Yesterday, the County's Ways and Means Committee approved an increase in the budget for the youth summer job program so the bureau can hire two additional temporary supervisors.

Youths from 16- to 24-years-old can apply for work through the program and any agency, public or private business, can apply to hire workers from the program.

"There's no commitment for the business to hire the youth after the summer program, but we hope  that if a business likes the youth the employer will pick them up for a permanent job," Gage said. "Obviously, a lot of employers don't have the ability to that immediately."

Youths or employers interested in the program should contact Jay Lazarony at 344-2042, ext. 212.

For the jobs training program, employers must be able to provide documented on-the-job training with specific learning tasks, or out-of-work individuals can apply for job retraining through BOCES or GCC.

Each program is being funded with an additional $600,000 from the stimulus package, with the balance of the stimulus money going to help disadvantaged or underemployed workers.