Students earn cash through Summer Hire program

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Kenya Shiloh
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  Students and spouses, ages 14 through 22 will have the opportunity to earn some extra cash this summer courtesy of the Kadena Air Base Summer Hire Program which takes place June 23 to Aug. 15.

"The 18th Wing is funding 100 positions for clerks and laborers this year," said Gary Stewart, chief of affirmative employment and training from the 18th Mission Support Squadron Civilian Personnel Flight. "Family members can earn $5.14 per hour through the program."

Only SOFA status family members are eligible to participate in the program. Family members must be U.S. citizens and can be spouses of Department of Defense military members, civilians and Army and Air Force Exchange Services civilian employees.

Alexandria Hill, a 9th grade student at Kadena High School and daughter of Elvira and Chief Master Sgt. Marc Hill, 18th Wing Public Affairs, said she's looking forward to working for the summer hire program.

"This is my first time participating in the program," Alexandria said. "Instead of just wasting my summer hanging out with friends I wanted to know what it's like working in the real world."

Developing job skills is the main focus of the program.

"Our goal is to promote good work habits and acceptance of responsibility and to provide real-world work experience in a positive environment," said Ikuko Inoha, 18th MSS Civilian Personnel Flight Summer Hire program manager. "Positions will be part-time, 20 hours per week and the scheduling will be up to each organization."

Alexandria said the specialty she's looking for is photography and she hopes to get a job in the public affairs office's multimedia division.

"Right now, I'm taking courses at school for imaging," she said. "Ever since I've been taking these classes I've been getting more and more interested in the field of photography. With this program, I not only hope to learn how to better communicate with others, but also learn more computer skills, gain more responsibility and learn some technical skills in photography."

The civilian personnel flight will hold a parent/student briefing April 3 at the Schilling Community Center ballroom at 5 p.m. for people who want to apply for jobs. A list of 18th Wing organizations participating in this year's program will be available at the briefing.
Civilian personnel will also accept applications in their office April 4 through April 15 or until all jobs have been filled.

"Jobs will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis," Mr. Stewart said. "Interested participants must present a copy of their sponsor's orders or extension paperwork as well as a passport and Social Security card at the time applications are turned in."

Students under the age of 16 may not be employed in hazardous areas such as in or around hoisting equipment, power-driven machinery and equipment, warehousing and storage, utilities, construction, cooking, freezers, loading and unloading trucks.

"The benefits I hope to gain from this experience are tremendous," Alexandria said. "My dad always said working with computers will always help me get the edge in the real world later in life; and I can learn different effects while working with photography."

For more information on the Summer Hire Program, call 634-3443.