Fifteen-year-old Sosene Tuileuta of Pago Pago is part of this year’s Department of Human Resources Workforce Investment Act 2013 Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) that has put many young people from all over the territory — ages 14-21 — to work for the summer. The young Tuileuta, who will be a sophomore at Samoana High School, was placed with the Department of Public Safety Fire Rescue unit in Fagatogo for his summer employment that will end for him on August 3.

“I love this program. I've learned things such as how to take care of the vehicles they use when they go out on calls,” said Tuileuta. “I also learned what tools are used for the maintenance of the equipment used here.” He said he would like to thank the workers and supervisors there that taught him the tools of the trade and would like to thank the other two students, who are from Nu’uuli VocTech High School and the American Samoa Community College.

“I would like very much to come back here next summer and learn even more about the job that they do. I think this is what I might want to do in the future, because I like to help people, especially my family and the people here in American Samoa,” he said. He also said that another aspect of the job that he finds valuable is learning teamwork.

“We learned about teamwork, which is so important here at this job, along with being respectful of others,” he concluded.

The purpose of the SYEP is to provide academic occupational skills and work experience for students from low-income families. According to the program, the youth participants work for four hours a day for 20 hours a week and are receiving $5.00 per hour.