$1.2 billion for summer jobs

Full Story At money.cnn.com

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — With teen summer employment expected to hit its lowest level since 1948, the federal government is pumping $1.2 billion in stimulus money into job training programs for youth.

The funds are aimed at providing disadvantaged 14-to-24-year-old youth with job training skills and schooling to better prepare them to continue their education or enter the workforce.

States are now implementing summer work programs to put their funding to use. Some are devising brand new efforts to train young adults, while others are expanding existing initiatives. The workers, who must be low income and meet certain at-risk criteria such as being a dropout or disabled, will be paid at least minimum wage.