Six Fox Valley Career Center Fire Science students spent a day training with the St. Charles Fire Department in May. The students signed up for the City’s job shadow program, which invites local high school students to learn more about careers in public service.

The students got a behind-the-scenes look at Fire Station #1 and a typical day in the life of a St. Charles firefighter. All of the Fire Science students brought their gear, suited up, and were then able to use the same equipment and items St. Charles firefighters use to train.

Training exercises included forced entry, confined space, and advancing hose for a below-grade fire.  St. Charles Fire Department staff reviewed Emergency Medical Services information with them and helped them practice using a power lift cot, stair chair, and patient packaging on a backboard. The students even worked alongside our on-duty crews as they bedded hose in an engine.

It was an exhausting but very informative and enlightening day. Our staff really enjoyed working with this great group of inquisitive, hard-working students from the Fox Valley Career Center and hope to one day welcome some as new members of the department.

Fox Valley Career Center (FVCC) has provided career and technical programs in partnership with area community colleges, business, and industry since 1969. They enroll about 450 students each year from Batavia, West Aurora, Central, Kaneland, St. Charles, and Geneva school districts. Programs include nursing, HVAC, EMT, fire science, welding, biomedical science, electrical, criminal justice, PC repair/networking, education, cosmetology, and more. FVCC students earn dual credits from Elgin Community College and Waubonsee Community College, along with certifications, giving them a head start on their post-secondary education or full-time employment right out of high school. Learn more about Fox Valley Career center on their website at foxvalleycc.org.

The City of St. Charles job shadow program is open to all St. Charles and Fox Valley Career Center high school students. The program invites students to shadow three different municipal professions each year in order to learn more about them and see if they might be a good fit for their own career path. Applications are available directly through the high schools. Feel free to contact the St. Charles Human Resources Department at 630.377.4446 with questions about the high school job shadow program.