Located at the end of the junior-senior hall at Philomath High School, students can check out a bulletin board that features possibilities for summer employment.
Early this week, the space was largely empty with only two items posted — a timber company with summer crew jobs and a construction materials and contracting services company offering a “work-based learning experience.”
First-year college and career specialist Leslie Adams hopes to fill up the board with a variety of opportunities for young people and to eventually become the go-to resource for those who want to work.
“I’ve had some students reach out to me looking for jobs and then I’ve had some employers reach out to me asking me to help them find students for jobs,” Adams said. “And so I thought, well, maybe I can just create a place for them to meet.”
The board could include information on not only jobs but also provide leads on other options for work or training.
“If there are opportunities for internships that businesses in the local area have then I would love to post those as well,” she said. “I’ve been working with a lot of students to get job shadows in the area — just as part of exploring their career options.”
The idea for the job board was intended to list possibilities for employment during the summer months but any year-round jobs can also be included.
In addition to the job board, Adams said she communicates with homeroom teachers on any age-specific work opportunities to try to make a connection.
The job board fits in with programs that have been implemented to help students move forward in the areas of employment and higher education. For example, juniors have the opportunity to go to the Benton County Career Convention, an event designed to provide real-world career exploration and readiness experiences, including the sharpening of skills in areas such as interviewing and résumé development.
“They’ve had some practice with that, so it would be great for them to use those skills to apply for work,” Adams said.
PHS seniors can take a personal finance class where they learn skills such as household budgeting.
“If they had a job where they actually were receiving money, then they would really have to learn how to manage their money and budget,” Adams said.
Working over the summer can have a positive impact in several areas ranging from the development of self-confidence and independence to trying to find a spark that could lead to interest in a specific area of study or career path.
“I’m thinking about things like problem-solving skills, responsibility and accountability, how to interact with co-workers and supervisors, meeting deadlines, prioritizing tasks, working with customers, money management, the ability to work independently and on teams — those are just some of the benefits,” Adams said about summer employment. “Those are all things they’re going to use in a career and in a college, if they were to go to college afterwards.”
Adams can be reached via email at leslie.adams@philomath.k12.or.us or by phone at 541-929-3211, ext. 9789.
“Anybody who’s looking for summer employment or if anybody’s interested in hosting students for a job shadow or an internship opportunity and they want to let me know about those, I’d love to connect students with all of those opportunities,” Adams said.
