The city of Honolulu is poised to launch its Pookela Fellows Program to provide college students with part-time employment under the mentorship of city employees.

"The city, like many employers, is facing the prospect of losing a sizable number of skilled and valuable employees over the next decade," Mayor Mufi Hannemann said in a news release.

About 60 percent of the city's workforce is baby boomers, age 42 to 60, with 25 percent of the city's 8,400 employees eligible to retire in the next five to 10 years.

"The Pookela Fellows Program is our proactive approach to expose and attract college students to city employment. Our goal is to make them think of the city first when it's time for them to pursue their careers," Hannemann said.

In June, the city's Department of Human Resources formed a committee of eight city employees to help develop the program. Ken Nakamatsu, director of the human resources department, said in the release: "This innovative program will provide college students with valuable work experience, showcase the city as a desirable place to work, and give city employees an opportunity to share their knowledge and expertise with students."

University of Hawai'i-Manoa students will have opportunities to learn about the program at two job fairs. The first — geared for business students — will be held Friday at the Shidler College of Business. The other — for all students — will be Oct. 18 at the Campus Center.

To be eligible, students must have a minimum 2.0 overall scholastic average on a 4.0 scale, and completion of at least 48 credits by the start of the fellowship.

During the fall and spring semesters, students may be employed part-time up to 19 hours a week. During the summer semester, students may work 40 hours a week for up to 89 days. Fellows will be paid $10 per hour.

The Pookela Fellows Program is under the direction of the Department of Human Resources, with support by the Mayor's Project Management Office.