Durand graduate completes youth apprenticeship program

2014 Durand High School graduate, Cassidy Weber, recently completed the Youth Apprenticeship Program at Security Financial Bank in Durand.
The program, which is part of a statewide School-to-Work initiative through the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, is designed for high school students who want hands-on learning in an occupational area at a worksite along with classroom instruction. The one or two-year elective program combines academic and technical instruction with mentored on-the-job learning.
Weber, who graduated from DHS in May and now attends Chippewa Valley Technical College, was hired at Security Financial Bank as a teller.
“I had Cassidy in classes, and I knew what kind of a student she was,” said program coordinator Todd Poeschel. “When you put a student in that type of a program, you want to be sure they’re a good fit, and I knew she would be a good candidate.”
Poeschel said he approached Weber to ask if she would be interested, knowing she was working in a qualifying area. The program includes career clusters in: agriculture, food, and natural resources; architecture and construction; art, A/V technology, and communications; finance; health science; hospitality and tourism; information technology; manufacturing; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; and transportation, distribution, and logistics.
The position must be paid, and it can be part of a work-study program or outside experience. The program has two levels. Level one is for juniors or seniors, and requires a minimum of 450 hours of work-based learning, as well as two semesters of related classroom instruction.
Level two covers the junior and senior year of high school and requires a minimum of 900 hours of work-based learning, as well as four semesters of related classroom instruction.
Students can begin as early as June after their sophomore year, or as late as June after their junior year for level two, and as early as June after junior year or fall of the senior year. The program must be completed by high school graduation or by August 31 following high school graduation.
Key aspects of the youth apprenticeship program are: industry-developed skill standards, exposure to multiple aspects of the industry, skilled mentors training the students, curriculum guidelines, performance evaluation of demonstrated competencies, and state-issued skill certificates.
“Kids get exposed to more than just the normal, routine-type jobs,” Poeschel said.
Poeschel said there is currently no selection process implemented in Durand, but he knew Weber was working at the bank.
“If we know of a student working in an area that fits in the program, we approach them,” he said. “The students or parents can also contact us to get involved.”
Poeschel said one big benefit, in Weber’s case, was though she was hired as a teller, she got to be placed in different areas of the bank for more experience.
“She got exposed to more than the entry-level position she was originally hired for,” he said.
“I went to different departments in the bank and learned the daily operations,” Weber said. “I even got to do some of the different tasks.”
Weber said she was taught about all the aspects of the different jobs.
“When Mr. Poeschel approached me, I thought it would be fun,” she said. “I learned my options if I chose to stay at the job. Moving around taught me what I did and didn’t like about the job.”
Weber said this helped her decide what she might want to do.
SFB Client Service Officer Marcia Berger said Weber was brought into the operations department and personal banking.
“She found out she didn’t like not having people to interact with in operations,” Berger said. “When she moved to personal banking, she enjoyed that. I think by learning a few differnt things, it helped her decide what kind of person she wanted to be.”
Berger said Weber did quite well.
“She’s an excellent student,” she said. “She is definitely a team-player and people-person.”
Berger said she thinks the program makes the business well-rounded.
“It gives kids an opportunity to see other aspects of banking besides the teller job,” she said.
Durand Superintendent Greg Doverspike said the Department of Workforce Development makes a small contribution to the District for students who complete the apprenticeship program.
“We’re able to invest the money in programs for extra and needed equipment in the qualified areas of study,” he said. “These include CTE, business education, tech education, FCE, and agriculture.”
Weber said she would recommend the porgram to any kid who has the opportunity.
“If you have the opportunity you should definitely do it,” she said.