The Southeast Tennessee Development District and the Tennessee Career Centers, in partnership with local city and county mayors, are celebrating the successful conclusion of the 2010 Summer Work Experience, which provided work readiness training for youth and young adults across nine Southeast Tennessee counties.

Participants worked an average of 30 hours per week providing service to schools, businesses, parks, summer camps and government agencies.

The program was provided with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and the Workforce Investment Act (WIA).

In Rhea County, 28 youth were provided with work experiences at 12 different work sites.

One young man, Blake, has been offered full-time employment with the Spring City government at the end of the program. He had completed a technical education, but, without work experience, employment was hard to secure. Thanks to the opportunity provided by the program, he was able to demonstrate his employability and translate it into the beginnings of a career.

A celebration banquet is planned for the local youth and work site supervisors at Pooh's Place in Dayton on Friday, July 30.