On Thursday, Apr. 11, students from around the region will have the opportunity to experience the different careers associated with a hotel/resort during Apprentice Day at The Greenbrier.
The Greenbrier has a variety of interesting careers for students to explore. Participating students will work one-on-one with employees from any one department including housekeeping, engineering, culinary, pastry, hospitality, sports/recreation, and spa/salon. This will be the hotel’s fourth time participating in the apprentice day program. Since 2015, The Greenbrier has hosted at total of 118 students.
Heather Orbaker, The Greenbrier’s onboarding coordinator, says, “We are always excited to have these students come spend the day with us. At The Greenbrier, we pride ourselves on being a part of this wonderful community, and this is a way to give back. It’s also a chance for us to find potential future Team Members and get them excited about a career at America’s Resort.”
Last Spring, 18 year-old Greenbrier East student Mackenzie Hylton spent the day with Robert Harris, The Greenbrier’s director of sports and recreation, who is now the vice president of golf. Reflecting on her day, she told program coordinators, “My day at The Greenbrier was very exciting. We got to see all the activities that the guests participate in on a daily basis. We got to see the back part of the bowling alley where the lanes get fixed. We got to lace up some skates in the ice skating rink. We were told one responsibility was to always make sure the guest has the best experience.”
Christina Entenmann, the organization’s executive director says, “Apprentice day is a year-round program and 100 percent free for kids, their families, and businesses. Our goal is to get kids out of the classroom and into the workforce to experience hands-on-learning. We believe that this program can help them focus on a goal for their future and provide a way to build relationships with an industry.”
The Greenbrier is one of the area’s largest employers. It is currently hiring for several positions requiring job skills including cooks, chefs, a plumber, golf attendants, sales associates, a seamstress/tailor, a counselor, cosmetologists, a hair stylist, and more. Apprentice Day, West Virginia, is a nonprofit organization that is addressing the state’s deficit of trained workers. Each student apprentice gains knowledge of entry level requirements of a professional and experiences the real-life work environment. This program is organized exclusively for educational and charitable purposes.
Students interested in Apprentice Day can sign up at apprenticeday.org/jobs or email questions to info@apprenticeday.org. A limited number of spots are available. Deadline to register is Wednesday, Apr. 3.