ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke-based architecture firm is helping local students find a job they’re passionate about all before even graduating high school.
Balzer & Associates is helping local high school students try out a career in surveying.
“Surveying doesn’t seem to pop up on a lot of people’s career radars,” said the companies vice president, James Patton
This is why the company partners with the Department of Labor and Industry to offer a survey technician apprenticeship program.
“It’s a good way to get your foot in the door in the workplace and in the work field and it’s much better of a job than working in some fast food place or something like that,” said current apprentice, Camden Freeland.
For some like Phoenix Angell, the apprenticeship can turn into a full-time job as a surveyor, without having to go to college.
“It’s a great way to get a head start in the real world,” said Angell. “It’s a great way to build up experience slowly, and learn how to do your job properly and move up the chain of command pretty quickly if the opportunity presents itself.”
Balzer’s apprentices get paid and earn school credit all while learning the trade.
“It’s giving younger people the opportunity to get into a field that they might not have a chance to get into until they’re out of school. And to gain work experience, to get paid and it counts towards their class credit so it’s not taking away from their education it’s a big part of it,” said Patton.
High school juniors and seniors from Roanoke City Schools, Roanoke County Schools and Salem City Schools are eligible to participate in the program.
Applications are now being accepted.
Learn more about the program on Balzer & Associates’ website.