For six weeks this summer, three Islip High School students participated in the Suffolk County Department of Labor’s Summer Youth Employment Program, which provides participants with the opportunity to explore careers and learn on-the-job workplace skills.

This year, Islip High School itself was the job site location. The students worked with the custodial staff under the supervision of head custodian Steve Saidler. Workers assisted in cleaning each classroom, moving furniture, washing and waxing floors, painting classrooms and offices, reading schematics to reassemble each classroom, assembling furniture, and repainting the lines and crosswalks in the parking lot. The student workers met weekly with teacher Renee Clock, the work-based learning coordinator for the program, to learn about budgeting, job exploration, resume writing and interpersonal skills. They also met with a representative from SCDOL to review job expectations, performance evaluations and payroll procedures.

“The student workers learned all of the job tasks that custodians complete each summer to get the building ready for classes in September and have been of great help,” Saidler said.

“In just six short weeks, Aidan, George and Peter went from no job experience to performing many of the summer job tasks of a custodial position”, Clock said. “This is a great program that provides real-world job experience. We are thankful to the entire high school custodial staff for mentoring the student workers and providing this wonderful opportunity.”

Date Added: 9/7/2022