 |
| Photo by Charity Lynn Luster Clearly enjoying their experience shadowing Maine Department of Transportation employees as they repaired a bridge on the Grimes Mill Road were Matthew Sturtevant and Nathaniel Rines. |
By Charity Lynn Luster
Loring Job Corps Center student
Today I and couple of fellow Loring Job Corps students had the privilege of participating in the annual Groundhog’s Day shadowing program. Each student was given the opportunity to shadow and be mentored by seniors of the profession of their choice.
I had the pleasure of shadowing Natalie Bazinet and being in the company of the Aroostook Republican and News’ friendly staff. During my shadowing experience I was given the opportunity to interview fellow Job Corps students and ask about their shadowing experiences.
A number of the students shadowed different areas of the Cary Medical Center. Twin brothers Lassana and Lossene Dorleh, from the CNA program, shadowed acute care. The extremely lively twin brothers spoke highly of the staff and the experience. I asked them each questions about their experience, including the question, “How do you feel this shadowing experience relates to your trade?”
“It gives us an outlook that there are so many different aspects to nursing, but we’re learning about the daily activities, also we have seen that there is much more work than what we thought it would be,” they said.
For every question I asked, just like clockwork they would spit out the same answer as if they were synchronized time watches. The twins also described how uplifting and accepting and welcoming the staff was. It was a beautiful thing to see them so encouraged and inspired by their mentors.
I also interviewed Chris Totman, who has completed the Medical Office Support trade. I asked Chris “Do you feel well prepared and knowledgeable about what you were learning during your shadowing experience?”
“I felt very prepared and I expected and knew pretty much about everything I was shadowing and learning,” he said.
 |
| Aroostook Republican photo/ Natalie Bazinet The Aroostook Republican’s very own Job Corps Shadow Day student Charity Lynn Luster performed well as a “reporter for the day” — conducting interviews, taking photos and writing under a deadline. |
Chris also mentioned that the highlight of his day was the wonderfully friendly staff who made him feel comfortable despite his immense amount of nervousness.
Darius Jackson of the CNA trade was the last but most memorable interview at the Cary Medical Center. Darius shadowed a wound nurse and of course he chose not to spare any of the gruesome details, but I have enough courtesy not to share them with you!
I asked him if he felt that what he experienced is related to his trade. Jackson replied “No,” but he also mentioned that the experience opened his eyes up to a whole new aspect of nursing that he would love to get into.
Darius even went as far as to say that the highlight of the day was being able to see how deep a wound could be, which I will not even bother describing seeing that I’m so courteous.
Masonry trade students Matthew Sturtevant and Nathaniel Rines shadowed Maine Department of Transportation employees who are repairing a bridge on the Grimes Mills Road. They were asked some of the tasks that they had the opportunity to do hands on and they said the biggest thing was tying rebar and learned how to put grout in a hole.
They also talked very endearingly and highly about the workers and even went as far as to call the more senior employees “Old Timers,” which I conveniently mentioned to the mentors who laughingly appreciated the camaraderie.
Last but not least I interviewed automotive student, Tyler Marrotte who shadowed at Highway Tire.
Tyler learned how to properly remove a tire and had the chance to watch workers change the tires of a huge loader.
I even had the chance to see one of the huge tires he described and frankly I thought he was over exaggerating. The egg was on my face when I walked up to a tire that was almost taller then me!
Although each student had a different experience and shadowed a different career, one thing all of us students had in common is that we sincerely enjoyed our experience and the company of our mentors.
On the behalf of all of the students who had the opportunity to shadow, we say thank you to all the mentors for their generous amounts of time dedicated to showing us the ropes. Also, to Mrs. Pamela Buck for paving the way for these opportunities. We all look forward to the many more shadowing opportunities to come in the near future.
 |
 |
| Photo by Charity Lynn Luster Loring Job Corps automotive student Tyler Marrotte spent last Friday shadowing the professionals at Highway Tire in Caribou. |
Photo by Charity Lynn Luster Job Corps CNA students who spent their Job Shadow Day at the Cary Medical Center were, from left, Darius Jackson, Lassana Dorleh, Chris Totman and Lossene Dorleh. |
