Local juniors participate in job shadow day
Local bakery owner Connie Green hosted Belgreen students during last Tuesday’s Job Shadow Day. Pictured are (L to R): Cristal Castillo, Connie Green, Bailey Clark, and Diana Lopez.
Choosing a career path can be a daunting decision for even a grown adult to make, so the task can seem particularly overwhelming to local high school students.
To alleviate some of the pressure associated with future career decisions, Franklin County Chamber of Commerce director Cassie Medley has continued a longstanding program aimed at helping local students experience different jobs before they are faced with making serious decisions.
This past Tuesday, high school students involved in the Franklin County Junior Leadership Program, which is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, were able to participate in Job Shadow Day.
Several local businesses throughout the area hosted these students Tuesday morning and gave them an opportunity to see what it might be like to work in a particular field.
Connie Green, who owns Connie’s Creations – a local bakery in downtown Russellville – hosted Belgreen students Cristal Castillo and Diana Lopez, who are interested in owning their own bakery one day.
“In all the years they have done the job shadowing day, I haven’t ever had students who signed up to shadow at a bakery, so this was a first for me,” Green said.
“I had a great time showing the girls the different machines I use and the different techniques for decorating cakes and cupcakes. It was exciting for me to see how excited they were.”
Castillo, 17, said the experience was fun and educational and helped her see what a career as a bakery owner might be like.
“Most people want to be doctors or teachers or nurses, but I’ve always been interested in cooking and baking,” Castillo said.
“I was excited there was a bakery that I could shadow at so that I could learn some things about having this as a career.
“It was a great experience and I feel like I learned a lot.”
Lopez, 17, agreed that she was taking a lot of knowledge away from the experience.
“I love baking cakes, and I think it would be great to have a career doing something I love,” she said.
“I got to see, not only what it’s like to be a baker, but what it’s like to own your own bakery, which is what I want to do.
“This was a fun experience getting to decorate cakes and learn more about the baking business. It definitely reinforced the idea that this is what I want to do one day.”
The girls said they were able to observe Green as she made fried pies, they learned how to make piping bags, they iced cupcakes, and they learned how to make roses out of frosting.
“Some of the stuff we learned were things I expected, but some things were unexpected,” Lopez said.
“I never really thought about how much customer service plays into this career, but you really have to be good with people.
“[Green] taught us that it’s all about the customer and making them happy, which is good to remember.”
After Tuesday’s events, Green said she would be more than glad to host future job shadowers.
“This is a wonderful thing for the students to get to participate in,” Green said.
“I’m glad the Chamber and the schools partner together to offer this to the students each year.”
