Now, she's looking to offer Suffield High School students real-world experience by hiring them to operate the audio-visual equipment during Board of Education meetings.
"They would set up and operate different pieces of the AV equipment, like the microphones, visual screens, presentations," Osleger said. "They would learn how to ensure that there's high-quality sound and that the video is high-quality for live meetings, and even the recording so that if someone couldn't attend the meeting, they (would have) a really good, high-quality sound and visual experience."
She said interested students would be interviewed for the part-time work and would be paid an amount that has yet to be determined. Osleger said she is beginning to review students' interest and determine timelines for meeting with interested students.
"The hiring of a high school student to contribute to the audio-visual work at Board of Education meetings is a win-win," said board Chair Maureen Sattan. "It will provide the student with practical, real-world experience in a professional setting while allowing the board to continue using technology to widely and effectively communicate with the Suffield community."
Osleger said the district is looking to enhance students' real-world experience.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for broadcast, sound, and video technicians is projected to grow as companies increase their audio and video budgets for video conferencing to reduce travel expenses and communicate worldwide.
Connecticut has at least 620 audio visual technician jobs, and 18 companies currently have job openings, including ESPN and Disney, according to the state Department of Labor's Office of Research.
Osleger also pointed to the leadership skills the students would build.
"There's a lot of different opportunities within it," she said. "You have a project from start to finish. There's creativity in ensuring that the presentation materials are what they should be for the meeting and just the hands-on experience."
She also said that in the future, there may be opportunities for the student employees to work when the school is being used by outside organizations, such as for dance recitals.
"I think there's so many opportunities for this to grow, but right now, this is what we're starting with," she said.
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