When the Selma-Kingsburg-Fowler County Sanitation District team started the truck this summer, they had an additional person in the passenger seat.
Selma High’s upcoming senior, Frankie Alvarez-Alvarado, collaborated with professionals as a compensated intern via the Valley Regional Occupational Program.
He had the opportunity to work in various roles within the Sanitation District, such as operations, engineering, laboratory, administration, and sewer maintenance.
He mentioned that his favorite aspect was being in the truck and on the roads.
“It was the most intriguing because you have the opportunity to visit various locations, realizing there are significantly more manholes than you previously thought, as well as discovering the positions of all the stations and understanding their functions in ways you hadn’t noticed before,” Frankie said.
Frankie is among many students who participated in a summer internship.
Each individual is paired with companies that correspond to their academic track. For Frankie, this was design and engineering.
Each student was required to develop a resume and conduct an interview with individuals such as General Manager Veronica Cantu Cazares.
She mentions that it is the seventh year they have collaborated with VROP interns, and this experience helps students discover potential career paths.
“They may serve as an operator, which is the individual responsible for running a facility. They could also take on an administrative role. We have positions such as an accountant, a general manager, and human resources personnel. There are numerous career opportunities available to them that do not necessarily demand a college degree,” Cantu Cazares stated.
For Frankie, this experience allowed him to create his first resume, attend his first job interview, and secure his first job — all of which are essential skills that will assist him in achieving his goal of becoming a mechanical or civil engineer someday.
“All the information I needed to land a job, I learned from this place,” Frankie stated.
Since he works at the waste management department, he will reconsider what he puts down the drain.
“Now I understand how it functions. I will remain more conscious of it. I might never forget this,” Frankie remarked.
Once their 80 hours were finished, students shared what they had gained.
They provided the wastewater board with all the information about their experiences and the abilities they developed throughout their internship.
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