How My Youth Apprenticeship Helped Prepare Me For College

High school is a period for growth and a chance to discover new things. If you have an idea of what you want to pursue in the future, applying for a youth apprenticeship is a beneficial opportunity. It can help you explore a profession more in-depth by working in a position specific to your field of interest. You get to learn from those who are already in that profession while gaining valuable skills and experience.

Many high schools and colleges offer a wide variety of fields. During freshman year, I was employed as a high school teller for Kohler Credit Union. By helping members with their banking transactions, I learned to be professional, build a strong work ethic, and the importance of being thorough. It was such a beneficial opportunity and furthered my passion in the business field.

After 2 years of being a teller, I realized that I was really interested in the marketing profession and wanted to gain some experience within that field. I enjoy doing more project- based work and the idea of getting to think outside of the box to create a flyer or post on social media really appealed to me. I decided to apply for Lakeshore Technical College’s Youth Apprenticeship program and I am now currently the marketing youth apprentice for the marketing department here at KCU! Within the few months that I have been in this position, my expectations have been exceeded and I’ve learned a wide variety of skills specific to marketing. Over the course of my apprenticeship, I have furthered my skills in communication, graphic design, market research, analyzing data, and so many other wonderful skill sets. This experience has confirmed my passion for marketing, which is the field I plan to pursue this fall when I head off to college.

My experience as a youth apprentice at Kohler Credit Union was nothing short of extraordinary! For high schoolers, thinking about joining a similar program… do it! Not only do you gain valuable real world experience, you can also receive honor credits towards graduation, get paid while enhancing your skills in a field that you love, and build lasting relationships with those in the realm of your career field! I hope in the future more high school students take advantage of these amazing opportunities that are offered to us at such a young age.