Photo Cred: PF Bently of Civil Beat
For this high school class, students punch in when they arrive. During the day they learn how to mop the floor at a food court or plant turf on a commercial property, take a meal order at Zippy’s or change bed linens at the Hilton. They punch out when the leave for the day, too.
It’s all part of a program in the works at Kaimuki High School that’s aimed at training kids for entry-level jobs in Hawaii’s hospitality industry — food services or housekeeping work, for example.
The students do some basic reading, writing and math coursework, but most of the program is dedicated to helping them develop real-world vocational skills. And for most of the kids, half of their time isn’t even spent on the Kaimuki campus at all.
As part of the class, students are required to get actual minimum-wage jobs.
Hookipa Workforce Academy, as it’s being called, got a test run this past summer, enrolling 26 rising seniors whom school counselors recruited based on demonstrated interest and credit needs….
Photo Credit: PF Bentley of Civil Beat