Workforce Wednesday with the Boys & Girls Clubs
Workforce Wednesday with the Boys & Girls Clubs
What happens at Mt. Bachelor when summer operations are over and winter operations have yet to start?
Youth from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend learned all about “shoulder season” at the resort during their field trip to Mt. Bachelor this fall. While many people assume the mountain goes quiet when the lifts aren’t spinning, a quick look behind the scenes will tell a different story. Up here, fall is a mad dash to plan and prepare for the busy winter ahead. From maintenance, repairs, and construction to massive inventory projects and administrative work, the resort is always buzzing.
Our team welcomed the opportunity to give local youth a glimpse into a day-in-the-life of a Mt. Bachelor employee. In addition to enjoying some fresh mountain air (and a light dusting of snow!), the group learned about career pathways through interactive presentations and activities. They spent a half day at the resort, which allowed them to gain exposure to a variety of departments including Marketing, Human Resources, Information Technology, Rentals, Retail, the Tune Shop, and Ski & Ride School. After touring the Bachelor Butte Administration Building and meeting a few members of the Resort Leadership Team, they headed over to Mountain Gateway for a ski and board waxing clinic with Rentals Manager, Mack Voelker.
Mack gave a tour of the workshop and taught a quick waxing 101 lesson before letting the youth dive in and try it for themselves. Mack also shared a bit about his personal career journey in the ski and snowboard industry. He is a Ski Area Management Graduate from Gogebic Community College in Michigan. He spent 10 years working in the ski industry in Michigan, Colorado, and Alaska before coming to Oregon.
“It was really great working with this particular group,” said Mack. “I love it when folks want to get hands on and learn something new.” After a quick lunch break, the group made their way to the Rippers Room, where Programs Manager, Chris Grosjean “Goose” went over a couple fundamental ski and ride movements. Youth got to test their new skills on our indoor rails. Next time they visit, they’ll be ready to hit the slopes!
