Kim Hall, a junior at Searsport District High School, decided on a whim last spring to apply for a job in graphic design, the career field she was studying at Waldo County Technical Center.

She had just completed her Print Ed certification (one of many certifications earned through the WCTC Graphic Design Program) and was encouraged by her instructor Tyler Hills to apply for an unpaid internship at Images Printhouse, a small business owned by a disabled veteran woman (SDVWOSB) in Belfast. She got the job and was immediately immersed in the world of commercial graphics. Her boss, Shawna Barnes taught Kim to do “all the things” involved in running a printing house. After just two months, Kim received a promotion, becoming a part-time paid employee and part-time intern.

Due to extenuating circumstances, Kim’s boss was unable to work in the office this summer, and Kim and her one co-worker, CJ Abbot, began running the business with only remote assistance from Shawna. Kim was then promoted once again to a fully paid position as a junior designer and print production associate.

Kim is now back in WCTC’s graphic design program as a senior, and when asked how this CTE program prepared her for the job, she said she was not completely lost as a as an intern because of what she learned in class. Now that Kim has been promoted, there is an opening at Images Printhouse for another intern. Hills and Barnes plan to use WCTC’s graphic design program as a pipeline for future employees who will already be familiar with the ins and outs of design. Kim plans to continue her education after high school by going to college in graphic design.

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