Jeff Turgeon
Jeff Turgeon is one of the many people involved with the Summer Youth Jobs program, which works with local businesses to secure temporary work for teens and young adults in need. Working has been a long strange road for Turgeon, and with 20 jobs under his belt, he knows the value of a gig, even if it lasts for only a couple of months.
Job … Executive Director, Central Massachusetts Regional Employment Board (CMREB).
Home … Shrewsbury, but born and raised in Worcester.
Pet peeve … People that change their minds; no wait … people that have closed minds.
Best advice I ever received … If you want something you need to work for it.
What motivated you to become involved with Summer Youth Jobs? … A desire to help young people grow and develop.
So what’s the Summer Youth job program … It’s one week of pre-employment work, readiness training and orientation followed by six weeks of subsidized employment for eligible youth ages 14 to 24 years old. Work sites include for-profit businesses, non-profit organizations and public sector/community service work projects. The program is being managed by Worcester Community Action Council on behalf of the CMREB.
What are the job prospects like for kids this summer in light of the recession? … This summer appears to be the worst ever since they began tracking it 60 years ago in terms of the percentage of young people who will be working. Teens have effectively been squeezed out of many jobs they traditionally held by older workers.
Describe your first job experience … A school guidance counselor saw a note on the school bulletin board for a job cleaning out dog kennels. He said he thought of me for the job because it was in my neighborhood, but now that I think about it, it makes me wonder. A few phone calls later, pooper-scooper in hand, I reported for duty.
How old were you? … Fourteen.
What did you do with the money you saved? … Can’t recall. I think either summer vacation or a new stereo. … The height of sophistication was to have a cassette player.
Describe your worst job experience … I worked cleaning up the Centrum after concerts at nights. I lasted about a month and a half. They had me going in between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. It didn’t pay a whole lot of money, probably a little more than minimum wage. I thought the big perk was that I could see concerts, but they don’t want you to come to the concerts, only after the concerts. I drifted away from that.
What work experience influenced what you do today? … I spent some time working in a factory setting in college and when I dropped out for a while. My dad was head of shipping and receiving for a plastics company. I would go into work and be around these lifers all day. … I remember eating in the lunchroom with them, covered in dies and plastics. I said, “You know what? This isn’t for me. I’d rather not be here in 15 years. I’d rather do a job where you get to do something different everyday.” … It didn’t seem to allow for a whole lot of creativity.
What is the ultimate goal of the jobs program? … To give youth an understanding of, and experience in, a workplace environment, and to teach youth about how the workplace functions.
What do you love most about your job? … Getting to work with a variety of passionate, creative, and intelligent professionals to help make a difference in our community.
What aspect of your job do you enjoy least? … The pace at which bureaucracies sometime move.
If you could only give one piece of advice to the kids in the program, what would it be? … Ask a lot of questions and learn from your supervisors.
Ever work a summer job? … I held a few summer jobs, including a job at the beach selling French fries. I smelled like grease at the end of my shift but loved it.
If you could work any job in the world other than your present one, what would it be? … Managing a professional sports team.
What did you want to be when you were a kid? … A jet pilot for the US Navy.
When did you realize that probably wasn’t going to happen? … When I discovered I was afraid of heights.o
