Job Shadow Day extends outreach to local students

  • Published
  • By Senior Amn Eli Chevalier
  • Kirtland PA

Over 30 students from Albuquerque High School visited Kirtland for a job shadow opportunity Feb. 20, 2019.

The event provided a unique opportunity for students to learn about the wide range of jobs available here.

“It exposes them to a lot of different career options,” said Lisa Martinez, Albuquerque HS Advancement Via Individual Determination teacher. “Some of them don’t know what is possible, they’ve never seen more than what they experience at school or with their families.”

Advancement Via Individual Determination is a program for kids that are from first-generation, low-income families or who will be the first in their families who plan on going to college.

“That’s why I try to tell them where I’m from, because I am a student who was the first generation to go to college,” said Cindy Dominguez-Trujillo, 377th Air Base Wing special assistant to the commander on diversity and affirmative employment programs. “I’m a local and I would have never known about Kirtland Air Force Base had they not come out and recruited when I was graduating. It’s important to afford the kids the opportunities that they might have not otherwise known existed.”

Students were shown demonstrations by Kirtland’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight and Military Working Dog section. After, students had a chance to meet and speak with base employees about their careers.

“If we show them all these options and they can see themselves doing the job, they’ll feel like there is a place for them and they’ll go to school,” said Susan Lagner, Albuquerque HS AVID teacher.

Educating students on the opportunities available here helps support the community in keeping students in Albuquerque.

“Frequently our students leave us because they don’t realize the career opportunities that exist in Albuquerque and at Kirtland Air Force Base,” said Dominguez-Trujillo. “Our workforce population here can’t even begin to reflect the community if we don’t educate our community on the opportunities available here.”