Some Richmond County acceptance are dispatch into one of the nation's arch nuclear facilities, one of the world's arch golf courses and added venues to analyze career opportunities.
The Youth Apprenticeship Affairs enables acceptance to accompany their career interests at an aboriginal age, advancing them for the able apple and giving them an advantage over their aeon in landing a job afterwards school, said Loree Oliver, the affairs coordinator.
There are 41 Richmond County aerial academy acceptance accommodating in the program, but she hopes added get complex abutting academy year. Some acceptance accept apprenticed at Savannah River Site and Augusta National Golf Club.
On Thursday, she will authority an advisory affair for any absorbed apprentice to apprentice about apprenticeships and assurance up for abutting year's program.
"If you accord them the fundamentals of a job and actuality a acceptable employee, they will be acknowledged in life," Ms. Oliver said.
As with a job, acceptance charge administer to be in the affairs and account for a spot, she said. Once accepted, they are accomplished the basics of captivation bottomward a job, such as punctuality and able attire.
Students are again akin with an employer that corresponds with career, abstruse and agronomical apprenticeship classes they accept taken. The job charge additionally fit into the student's abiding career interests.
"They are acquirements while they are in school, and they are acquirements while they are at work," Ms. Oliver said.
Students assignment 20 hours a anniversary during school, but can assignment 40 hours a anniversary during academy breaks, she said. Along with earning grades, the acceptance additionally acquire money. A claim for the affairs is that they be paid added than minimum wage.
Ms. Oliver hopes added acceptance booty advantage of the affairs because it provides an befalling for them to analysis out their career interests afore activity off to college, and it enables them to anatomy abiding business ties.
"That's what it is -- an accessible aperture to the opportunities out there," she said.
When acceptance complete the program, they booty with them a career portfolio, which includes their assignment experience, rÃsumà and belletrist of recommendation.
Students are generally borderline of their career paths back they get to college, said Nanette Barnes, the administrator of career, abstruse and agronomical apprenticeship for Richmond County.
"A lot of kids appetite to above in article that sounds acceptable or looks easy," Ms. Barnes said, again attempt to acquisition a job in their field.
The apprenticeship program, however, allows them to analysis the amnion and acknowledgment to the cartoon lath if it's not for them, she said.
Reach Greg Gelpi at (706) 828-3851 or greg.gelpi@augustachronicle.com.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Youth Apprenticeship Affairs advisory meeting
WHEN: 5-7 p.m. Thursday
WHERE: Richmond County Lath of Apprenticeship axial offices, 864 Broad St.