Adam, Youth Work Crew, Burlington High School

The career exploration process is like an epic poem. There are discoveries and    break throughs as well as pitfalls and challenges. The Lake Monsters Summer Work Crew, serves as the opening act for several local young adults in this process. The majority of participants have never had a job and have been identified as having more barriers to successful employment than their peers. The program is a partnership with VT Lake Monsters and UVM, and is supported by the Vermont Department of Labor.

 

One of this year’s participants, Adam, made it very clear that regardless of the barriers that he has faced in life, success is possible with hard work. Adam is new to Vermont from Alabama. He is in foster care and the Crew was his first work experience. He advocated for himself to join the program which meant attending two meetings and doing extensive paperwork. To arrive at work on time required taking two city buses. Adam did not miss a day of the program and his maturity level was way beyond his fifteen years. He says the work days, “taught me about work ethic, how to perform on the job, how to treat co-workers and supervisors and how to balance being meticulous with being efficient.” Adam consciously made an effort to treat even challenging co-workers with a respectful and positive attitude hoping that he might be able to lead by example.

 

The skills that Adam gained throughout this program are very important to his future but it is Adam’s attitude and life outlook that will ensure his success. Adam spent months in the hospital after an accident with 40% of his body burned. His sister visited him everyday and encouraged him to “always try to think on the good.” Adam believes that “no matter what you have to face in life, no matter what trials you have to go through, it doesn’t mean that you can’t make something of yourself.” He is currently interviewing at local businesses searching for one that will take a chance and hire a fifteen year old. Architecture is Adam’s career field of interest; he has already researched the field and completed a job shadow at a local firm. Adam’s tenacity and strength of spirit are impressive. At fifteen, he inspires those around him to make the most of their life!