Experience Works! Program Highlights
Ethan D. is participating in the Experience Works! program, and is placed with Laurel Business Institute’s maintenance department. Ethan’s responsibilities include cleaning, maintenance, and assisting with repairs. Ethan is a student at Connellsville High School and the Connellsville Area Career and Technical Center electrical program. He plans on finding employment with a general contractor after high school. Keep up the good work, Ethan!
Mikal is participating in the Experience Works! program, and is working with the maintenance crew at FCCAA. Mikal assists with cleaning the buildings on our campus, and is excited about his new position.
Mikal is currently a senior, and has an interest in learning about blacksmithing.
Andrew B. is participating in the Out of School Experience Works! Program. His job site is at the Republic Food Enterprise Center where he prepares meals for the catering services, cleans the building, and assists with deliveries. At RFEC, he has learned about industrial kitchen maintenance and safe food preparation.
Aareanna G., a junior at Laurel Highlands High School, is participating in the Experience Works! Program. Her current site is at East End United Community Center where she assists with the afterschool program. Her other duties include cleaning and preparing meals and snacks for the children in daycare. Her favorite job aspect is helping the children with their homework and recreational activities.
Aareanna is saving her wages to purchase a car. Her post-secondary interests include sports medicine or becoming a physical education teacher.
Hannah K. is participating in the Experience Works! program and her site is The Fayette County Association for the Blind. She is a junior at Uniontown High School.
Hannah’s primary responsibility is the bulk mailings. Volunteers often completed this task, but because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Blind Association had to limit small groups from meeting at their location. Hannah also assists with answering incoming calls and general clerical duties. The work Hannah does is necessary and appreciated.
Hannah wants to study nursing and work with the elderly and/or people with disabilities after graduation. She has started saving her wages to purchase a car.
Hannah says her favorite part of her job is the people she works with and the office skills she is learning. Her least favorite part of her job is answering phones but feels it has helped her become more outgoing.
Ziane W. is excited to be participating in the Experience Works! program! She is currently assigned to the SNAP-Ed Nutrition Education Program at Fayette County Community Action Agency. Ziane really enjoys working in an office setting and meeting new people. Her primary duty is data entry but she also gets to assist with other clerical tasks.
She is a senior at Laurel Highlands High School. Ziane has been accepted to California University of PA, Slippery Rock, and Indiana University of PA but is undecided. She wants to study psychology or social work. She has started saving her wages to use for future college expenses.
Ziane says she learns something new each day on the job (like cordless keyboards take batteries). She thinks the program gives youth real-life work experiences and she also enjoys the various skill improvement workshops.
A’Marra is happy to be participating in Experience WORKS. She is currently assigned to the Housing Department at Fayette County Community Action. She originally wanted to work with kids, but while waiting on her clearances she started to help with clerical duties and decided she really enjoyed office work.
A’Marra’s primary duties are keeping files copied and assisting case workers with filing, organizing, and completing annual quality surveys for clients. Her favorite part of her job is the people. She likes the teamwork and likes feeling as a part of the group. She has also learned about social services and poverty and how it affects the community. A’Marra said she was most surprised by how fast paced the office is. She expected the days to drag on, but she likes helping people and is happy for the experience.
A’Marra originally thought she wanted to go to college for business or childcare, but after working in the EW Program she has developed an interest in social work and possibly working at CYS to combine her interests in a way that helps local kids. She also has interest in cosmetology and is considering following that route in the future.
She thinks the EW Program is beneficial because it allows youth to try different types of jobs they may have never considered before.
Chris O. is participating in the 2022 Experience WORKS Program. He is a junior at Connellsville Area School District and the CTC studying automotive mechanics.
Chris started his working career at the Connellsville Township Municipal Authority working with the crew for the summer. He helps with cleaning the township roadways and ditches. He wants to study diesel mechanics after high school.
His favorite part of his job is the people he works with. He is learning so much by being hands on with the crew. He said the only bad part of the job is working in the heat and rain.
Chris is using his wages to purchase parts for his truck. He would recommend the Experience WORKS to any youth who wants to learn about their potential career field and earn a great wage at the same time!
Emily P. is participating in the 2022 Experience WORKS Program. She is a recent graduate of Laurel Highlands High School.
Emily is undecided about her future education and enrolled in Experience WORKS as a way to learn about working in social services and with senior clients. She was placed at the FCCAA Adult Recreation Center. She really enjoys working one on one with clients who come in for a warm meal and socialization. She has started calling bingo daily for individuals waiting for their meals.
Emily is saving her wages towards purchasing a car. She thinks the best part of the Experience WORKS program is the flexibility to earn a wage and enjoy the work you are doing.
Funding for the Experience Works! program is provided by the Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Investment Board.