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The internship program is available through the end of the year.

The internships are funded by a 7 million dollar CARES Act grant the county received. 

CEO Pam Nabors says placements are available in fields as varied as the arts and education to law and generally pay between 12 and 20 dollars an hour.

She says some internships have already resulted in direct job placements. 

“There are also actually direct hiring opportunities. If we actually find someone who has the skills and ability, a business may say, ‘you know what I just want to hire them on. And save that internship for the next person.’ So really it is very advantageous for people to connect.”

Nabors says CARES Act money will run out in December and about half of the spots in the program have already been filled. 

“So we are targeting to enroll overall, in the overall Help is Here program, up to 4,000 individuals. And it’s a very short time frame because the dollars for the CARES Act dollars are only available through December 30. And those are specific to Orange County residents. And so, we are at about 2,600 applications so far with just over 600 people enrolled actually in activities.”

Orange County has consistently had one of the highest unemployment rates in the state since mid-March.

Help is Here! Seminole State College and @CareerSourceCF will pay for your Spring semester to help you. Qualified Orange County residents who have been met with hardships due to COVID-19 are eligible. Learn more at URL https://t.co/2ZYTC3iiXf #SSC #GoStateGoFar #HelpisHere

— Seminole State College (@SeminoleState) October 1, 2020

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