Some Fair Grove students are learning how to balance their busy school schedules with jobs. Students say work experience provides them with benefits that help them reach their future goals.
The job opportunities help students figure out what specific occupation they want to pursue. Hannah Bruner, (12) who works at Mercy Hospital as a Certified Nurse Assistant explains, “My job opens a lot of doors, for both education and my career. It establishes a name for myself in the medical field, as well as helps me figure out what specialty I prefer.”
Camille Boyer (12) who works at Cox Health as a Unit Assistant adds, “My job is giving me hospital experience that not only looks good on a resume, but also has allowed me to realize what specialties I am interested in, as I want to be a doctor in the future.”
Boyer shares that she has realized she wants to become a pediatrician because when she worked in the pediatric unit she enjoyed it the most. Her job at Cox Health also gives her networking opportunities to help her reach future goals.
One of the challenges that students face is trying to manage a job and school. Keith Nolan (10), a crew trainer at McDonalds, states, “To balance work and school, I make sure that I know what my limit is for working every week. This will come with time and you will eventually know what your limit is.”
Some students balance school and work by paying close attention to how they manage their time. Bruner explains that she takes overnight shifts and during the school week she only works one to two days. In the summer she works three to four days a week.
Other students work after school and on weekends. Additionally, they take advantage of not having school on Mondays to get work hours in or caught up on homework.
Even with these strategies, going to school and holding a job can still be a lot to handle. Boyer gives the following advice to students who are thinking about joining the workforce while in school, “My advice would be to prioritize self-care and doing things to de-stress on your days off. I have always been very busy, but I have to fill up my own cup before I can care for someone else.”
Though it may be challenging for students to balance out work and school there can still be a lot of areas to learn, grow and help prepare them for their future.
