The Gebbie Foundation has awarded the Workforce Investment Board Inc. a grant to continue the Chautauqua Advancement Project, which works to attract and retain a talented workforce in the area and recruit young professionals looking for employment in the Jamestown region.

"Last year we placed seven young professionals as interns at local businesses," said Kerri Brown E-Net director. "As a result, five have stayed in the area and are currently working. We hope to continue this trend with a new group of young professionals who want to remain in our area."

"The E-Net Program is all about attracting and retaining talent in the region and we have an opportunity to retain these young, talented workers that may not have intended to return to their hometown in the first place," said Sue McNamara, WIB executive director. "But they're here now and we want to keep them."

The 2009 Chautauqua Advancement Project interns were placed at our local assets and included the Robert H. Jackson Center and the Lucy-Desi Center.

For 2010, internship sites will be more focused in the private sector and demand occupation areas such as healthcare and manufacturing.

"Our hope is to assist some of our key organizations with finding the talent they need to thrive," said Brown.

The program will place interns at host organizations Monday through Thursday, while on Fridays the interns will work with McNamara and Brown to develop leadership and networking skills while also coordinating a community project.

"The Friday meetings provide a great opportunity for us to support the interns' learning through the experience, facilitate connections with other young professionals and establish networking channels for the interns' future career path in Chautauqua County" McNamara said.

For more information on the program, visit its Web site at chautauquaworks.com and click on the ENET tab, e-mail Kerri Brown at kbrown@chautauquaworks.com or call 487-5175.