ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — WPTV is learning more about an internship on the Treasure Coast with the aim of preparing St Lucie County teens with real world work experience.
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The St. Lucie County Economic Development Council (EDC) hopes the program creates a pipeline for young workers to stay on the Treasure Coast.
"We needed to implement something,” said Anita Fischer with the St. Lucie County EDC. "We have jobs here, and people need to know that there are jobs here. There's a lot of growth. There's a lot of high-level end positions here."
This is the second year of the Treasure Coast Center for Economic & Educational Development summer internship program.
"We needed to implement something,” Fischer said. "We have jobs here, and people need to know that there are jobs here. There's a lot of growth. There's a lot of high-level end positions here."
The program gave 60 students, ranging from rising juniors to graduated seniors, an opportunity to work at 50 local businesses in skilled trades, manufacturing, hospitality, healthcare, government and much more.
The Boys and Girls Club is funding a $15 an hour stipend for students and providing financial literacy classes on Friday’s.
WPTV met two of them, Tylarith Limear, a 2026 graduate of Fort Pierce Central High School working at Aircraft Turbine Works at the Treasure Coast Airport, and Jeronimo Rodrigues, 2026 graduate of St. Lucie West Centennial High School interning at the St. Lucie County Sheriffs Office.
"Just being able to just be here and soaking up just all that professionalism, just being in this environment has been very new, but also very rewarding,” said Rodrigues.
"Back when I was maybe 8 years old, I thought there's almost nothing around here, and now business is booming everywhere,” said Limear. “Business need people to work here and I do want to be one of those people.”
The interns graduate from the program on Friday.
