Several Devereux students recently applied for, interviewed and were hired for various on-campus employment opportunities in housekeeping, the kitchen and the supply room. Far from a volunteer experience, these students will be compensated for their day’s work. But not just monetarily. The hope is that these positions will allow the students to gain some valuable work experience, as well as an increased level of responsibility and independence.

The applicants put their best foot forward and recognized the seriousness of their undertaking. The results were remarkable in that all concerned exceeded expectations during the interview process making the hiring decisions quite difficult. Fred Schug (maintenance), Kelly Scism (administration) and Doug Patton (kitchen) were instrumental in reviewing applications and interviewing the candidates. For some students, the interview was their first interaction with these staff beyond saying hello. Employment interviews, as many people know, can be rather nerve-wracking even for the most savvy of candidates and even in the best of circumstances.

“It brought a level of seriousness to the process beyond the usual "classroom work site,” said John Lopez, vocational coordinator. “We heard many good answers to some tough questions during interviews, and it shows that the students have paid attention to some of the things we have tried to teach them.”

Participants hired as student workers will receive a wage based upon their productivity/ability level, determined through a time study analysis. The hiring process will be repeated approximately every six months in order to allow students the opportunity to try different positions and provide other students with the same opportunity of competitive employment.

As with any job, students are responsible for sticking to their schedule, finding replacements, notifying supervisors of their inability to work, communicating with their supervisors and with other co-workers. Students will be evaluated every six months and a new time study done to determine if productivity has improved.