Garrettsville – Ty’Shaun Caples and his sisters live with their grandmother in Windham. Two years ago, when his grandmother suffered a heart attack, then 16-year-old Ty’Shaun wanted to get a summer job to help support his family. At an event at Windham High School, where he was a student, he learned about a special job program offered through Portage County that could help him find work. But it helped him find far more than just a summer job.
The Comprehensive Case Management Employment Program (CCMEP) is a free program through OhioMeansJobs aimed at helping young adults aged 14 – 24 develop skills to become productive, self-sufficient adults. The program aims to remove barriers to success, such as homelessness, domestic violence, involvement in the court system, or simply needing help in developing the basic skills to become successful young adults. Through this program, young adults can receive guidance in defining their goals, then offer support to help achieve them. CCMEP provides the activities and support to help youths transition to post-secondary education and job training to become self-sufficient, vital members of their communities. Caples was able to earn money to help his family while learning skills that will help him reach his goals in his adult life.
“I’ve grown so much in this program,” Caples acknowledged. He recommends it as “a step in the right direction, to build responsibility and look toward the future.” Caples noted. “They provided me with the skills I need to become an adult.”
Through the free program, Caples took a comprehensive assessment, to help highlight his skills and abilities and identify areas where assistance was needed. Through the program, he had access to tutoring and study skills training help him get the most out of his high school education. In addition, Caples was assigned a job coach to help him with job preparation activities; he was also provided with vouchers to purchase appropriate work clothes and transportation to job interviews. Armed with new skills like resume writing, mock interview practice, and dressed for success, Caples gained paid employment at the Water Department, then Stoney’s Pizza in Windham. In fact, through the program, Caples was able to complete drivers’ education classes and earn his drivers license. Participants earn paychecks from CCMEP while participating businesses benefit by having additional employees at no cost to their company.
State Farm Agent Shanna Jursa first met Caples when he contacted her office in Garrettsville last August for an insurance quote. She was so impressed by him during that interaction that when she learned about the CCMEP program, she knew she wanted this impressive young man to be a part of her organization. “We’ll make this work,” she told him. “What do I have to do to hire him?” she asked her Portage County contact at OhioMeansJobs. And that’s how Caples became her first CCMEP employee, and Jursa became an advocate for the OhioMeansJobs program. She noted, “I didn’t know I needed him, but have found lots of things for him to do.”
OhioMeansJobs provides free assistance to local businesses, helping match them up with qualified, trained and skilled employees. All of the services are offered free of charge, helping employers save money while benefitting their local community. “You don’t need to meet specific criteria to be an employer,” Jursa explained. “It’s a really easy process,” she noted. “It’s a mentoring program that can provide young adults with real work experience,” she explained. “The CCMEP program helps them find a job they can grow into and become an asset.”
According to Jursa, signing up for the program is simple. Once an employer fills out an application, the employer creates a job description outlining the desired qualifications and criteria for employment and signs an employee agreement through OhioMeansJobs to begin the process. Jursa explained that since CCMEP pays the employee’s compensation, “It’s a great way to recruit and find people to help your business grow.” She noted, “There’s so much opportunity in Garrettsville, with a lot of employers looking for new employees.” She noted that places like IGA, Cal’s, and even the Weekly Villager would be likely businesses to take advantage of this free program to add employees and grow their businesses.
Nearly a year later, Jursa remains one of Caples’ biggest supporters. “Most 18-year-olds couldn’t walk into an office and be able to handle the responsibility,” she acknowledged. “More parents need to be aware of this program,” the mother of two added. “It’s so important to create good habits at a younger age.” In fact, Jursa is such an advocate of the program she’s working with State Farm to streamline the process, helping to spread the word to others via a webinar to State Farm agents across the nation.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity,” Caples remarked. And he’s making the most of this opportunity. Over the past year, he’s learned a great deal about customer service, working in a professional setting, and has been a real asset to Jursa’s business. She’s retuning the favor by mentoring Caples. The recent Windham High School graduate is working on courses to prep for the insurance license exam. A recent high school graduate, the program also helped pay for college textbooks, as Caples is enrolled at Kent State University’s Trumbull Campus and plans to study business or accounting. He plans to continue working at Jursa’s State Farm office while he completes his studies.
For more information on how your business can take advantage of these and other free resources, call Ohio Means Jobs Portage County at (330) 296-2841 or visit www.ohiomeansjobs.com/portage.
The CCMEP program at OhioMeansJobs gives young adults free assistance with workforce preparation, financial literacy, and help transitioning to post-secondary education. If you’d like to find out if CCMEP is right for you, visit www.ohiomeansjobs.com/portage, call (330) 297-3719, or visit the OhioMeansJobs Center at 253 South Chestnut Street, Ravenna.
