OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) – Metro Technology Centers and the Oklahoma Department of Labor are working together to create a Youth Employment Safety (YES) program that will educate young workers, their employers and community sectors on youth employment laws and other work-related concerns.
YES, an online program, will teach young workers, employers and community advocates about youth employment laws and related workplace standards, according to Metro Tech officials.
Metro Tech and the Department of Labor signed an official alliance in June during a ceremony at Metro Tech District Center, 1900 Springlake Drive, in Oklahoma City.
“The Oklahoma Department of Labor is excited to collaborate with Metro Tech on our duel project to promote safety in the workplace for our young workers across the state,” Oklahoma Department of Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn said during the signing ceremony. “The educational outreach capabilities of Metro Tech will help our agency in the mission of safe workplace conditions for all of our citizens. The YES Youth Employment Safety program will help educate and train youth across the state with free online training programs and is a great step to a more educated and trained workforce.”
The YES training program will consist of three distinct training modules, one for young workers, one for employers of young workers and one for parents, educators and community members.
Young worker training will focus on youth employment laws, youth worker safety, workplace hiring and employment discrimination, mental health, emergency management, personal protective equipment and taxes.
Employer training spans youth employment laws, wage and hour protections, federal and state OSHA consultation programs and workplace hiring and employment discrimination.
The third training module will educate parents, educators and community members on youth employment laws, workplace hiring, employment discrimination, federal OSHA, and wage and hour protections.
Participants will be provided with an ODOL-recognized certificate of completion after finishing the program.
“The YES Alliance symbolizes our unwavering commitment to the safety, well-being and education of our youth,” Superintendent Collins said. “By forming this alliance with the Oklahoma Department of Labor, we are able to combine our resources and expertise to provide a free and critical educational tool for everyone. It is an exemplification of what we can achieve when we come together to address vital issues in our community.”
The program is scheduled to launch on the week of Labor Day.
