Over the past two weeks, students from Schenck Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center joined thousands of employers and students around the country, taking part in the annual Groundhog Job Shadow Day.  The actual date of the event was February 2^nd, but Schenck Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center decided to expand Groundhog Job Shadow Day into two weeks.

Groundhog Job Shadow Day is a national initiative that provides students an opportunity to get an up-close look at the world of work by “shadowing” workplace mentors as they go through their work day.  Job shadowing gives young people a chance to see how the skills learned in school relate to the workplace.

Over one hundred students from Schenck Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center took part in a variety of job shadowing opportunities within the Brevard and Asheville communities.  For example, students from the Culinary Arts department not only job shadowed, but also helped in the food preparation for several different restaurants over the last week.  These restaurants include the Corner Kitchen, the Biltmore Estate, Scully’s, Dugan’s Pub, Square Root, and the Quarry. 

Students from the Facilities Maintenance and Painting trades visited the World of Energy, located at Oconee Nuclear Station in Seneca, South Carolina.  The students learned how electricity is generated using turbines, coal and nuclear fission.  They learned how nuclear fission works, and they learned the process involved in controlling fission and turning it into electricity.

Several students from the Landscaping department took a tour of the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research & Extension Center, near Asheville.  The students observed a variety of activities at the Research Station.  They toured the fish facility, several of the greenhouses, the apple orchards, and the entomology lab at the Research Station. 

These are only a few of the job shadow experiences that Schenck students were able to take part in.  Students worked at several other companies and organizations within the Brevard and Asheville communities.  Some of these organizations were Stews Heating and Cooling, High Country Tree Service, Blue Ridge Community College, Group 3 Management, Sherwin Williams, Meritor, and the City of Brevard.  Students from several vocational trades, such as Painting, Facilities Maintenance, Landscaping, Carpentry, Welding, and Culinary Arts job shadowed several different employees from these organizations.

All in all, the job shadowing experiences this year were a complete success.  Several employers had many positive comments to say about their experiences working with Schenck students.  Ed Drake, the Store Manager for Sherwin Williams, commented on his experience in working with Schenck students:  “They were very eager to learn, and they were very helpful.  These students represented themselves and Schenck Job Corps Center very well.  I’d be happy to have them work with me again in the future.”  Danny McMahon, the Building Maintenance Technician for the City of Brevard, also commented:  “It was a good relationship, and we enjoyed their hard work.”