Saturday, November 17, 2007

Jobs for Students

Are there jobs for students in Woodstock? Where are the jobs? How do students get them?

How many students know about the Career Center at Woodstock High School? And, if they know about it, how many use it?

I contacted WHS and Amanda Harmer, Career Facilitator, provided information about programs to help students with employment. In addition to information from her, I offer some of my own comments (which should not be attributed to her).

At Woodstock High School there is one Career Specialist to serve approximately 450 students each year.

WHS sponsors a work program called Inter-Related Occupations.

A Career Fair is offered once a year for sophomores, and they are required to attend.

A special program for seniors (only) is called Senior Job S.T.E.P.S. In this program a senior can learn interviewing tips and resume-writing, participate in mock interviews and also learn correct meal-time etiquette.

To take advantage of the WHS program, all a student has to do to ask for it. Students should go to the Guidance Office and make an appointment with the career specialist or find out when career classes are scheduled.

Students can “job-shadow”. What this means is that students can go to a job site with a registered local employer and follow an employee around for a day (or part of a day). For example, if a student is considering a career in law enforcement, he could “shadow” at the Woodstock Police Department. For street patrol, the student might have to be at least 18 years of age to ride along in a patrol car on a shift and would have to sign a General Release, absolving the police department and the City of Woodstock from any liability risk related to being with the officer.

Job boards are posted at WHS with employment openings for students. Students interested in jobs should watch these bulletin boards closely for new postings.

Watch for a subsequent article on direct job-finding and job-getting tips.

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