Comstock Park — Senior Jonze Geldhof once believed being a firefighter was mainly about putting out fires. But through an internship at the Alpine Township Fire Department, he is discovering there is much more to the role.
“I’m learning there is a lot more medical stuff than fighting fires,” he said.
Jonze is fine with that, and has even developed an interest in the medical field. He plans to attend a fire academy after graduation and pursue emergency medical training, with the goal to one day join a fire department as an employee.
His internship is part of the high school’s non-career and technical education work-based learning program, which provides experience that helps students develop transferable skills such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork and professionalism.
Work-based learning programs such as the one at Comstock Park are part of Kent ISD’s Career Prep 2030 goal to have 10,000 students participating in CTE and CTE-like opportunities.
Work Experience for Credit Hours
Since its inception three years ago, about 60 students have gone through the program, said Cassie Bryant, the high school teacher who oversees it. Students have worked at a variety of businesses such as fast food, restaurants, retail, auto body collision, fitness, cleaning and public service.
“The focus is on meeting the needs of students who may not go directly to college, giving them valuable experience and practical skills,” Bryant said.
This year, 21 high school students and three from the district’s alternative program, Flex Academy, are participating.
Juniors and seniors are eligible to take part, because those students usually have room in their class schedules for the required two-hour block. They also have to be on track to graduate and meet all other requirements.
Students typically secure their own job placements, Bryant said, adding that building partnerships with local businesses interested in employing them is a goal.
The program offers greater flexibility by giving them two school credit hours, allowing them to trade classroom time for hands-on experience at the job site, Bryant said.
For those credits, students gain maturity, attention to detail and real-world experience along with motivation for their next step after high school, she said.
The program includes six to eight in-person sessions per semester, which cover job-related issues such as workplace safety, harassment and financial literacy. In the first semester, the focus is on resume building, and in the second semester there are mock interviews.
“The community is looking for what we offer in the work-based program, which is having qualified students who are motivated because they are earning credit.”
An Opportunity to Explore, Connect
It also allows students to explore careers while giving businesses and organizations a chance to spark interest in future career paths, said Jeremy Kelly, Alpine Township fire chief, who is also a trustee on the CPPS Board of Education.
In the past, fire departments such as Alpine Township’s were largely made up of volunteers. But over the years, with training and medical knowledge requirements, the need for full-time firefighters has increased, Kelly said.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, firefighting careers are expected to have an average growth rate of 3% through 2034, but many departments report critical shortages due to retirements and a lack of applicants.
“We are trying to get students interested at a young age,” Kelly said, “and then bring them in right away to learn more about it.”
He considers the internship a yearlong interview in which the department gets to know the candidate, and the candidate can explore the field and determine whether it is a good fit.
Jonze is at the station from 1:15 to 3:15 p.m. Monday through Friday, when school is in session. He has earned first aid and CPR certification.
He is seen as part of the team, doing chores and running practice drills when not out on calls and suiting up when there are.
“My first call was a medical call,” he said. “It was an assisted living facility on Plainfield (Avenue) with a cardiac arrest.”
Lt. Trevor Driesenga, Jonze’s supervisor, said it’s a field where you have to be a “jack of all trades,” from being able to know about basic equipment maintenance to helping cook dinner.
On a recent shift, Driesenga was giving Jonze tips on how to hold a fire hose.
“Don’t hold it on the valve handle,” Driesenga advised. “As the water pumps through, it could cause you to shut the stream off.”
From there, Jonze learned to place his hand just behind the handle to keep the stream steady.
“This is definitely an opportunity, because when you are alongside the professionals you learn a lot about what they do, and I believe it really helps going forward as you pursue a particular career,” Driesenga said.
Bryant said the ultimate goal is for a career-related placement to lead to a full-time position, though that does not always happen as students may discover their passion is in a different area than their internship.
Because the program is designed to provide that opportunity for exploration, interest among students continues to grow, she said. Her goal next year is to develop more community partners to help meet that demand.
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