Taking a look at the adult world and the work force is something that I never thought I’d experience this summer. I am obviously way too young to understand the daily struggles of the average hard-working adult, however, one thing is for certain: being young is easier than I thought.

The Summer Youth Program at Career Source has given me the opportunity to find a good job to branch my horizons and network with new and exciting individuals. Each person I have had the privilege to meet through the Chamber has given me something to take away from. The different backgrounds and stories as to how they achieved the position they are in has inspired me to continue to follow my passions. Not only do they love the job they are in, they aspire to do greater - to go above and beyond.

All of my friends have asked me the same questions, “How did you land a job like that?” or “Where did you apply?” or the most famous one, “What do you do there?” My answers to those questions are simple. I realized that I needed work experience so I took the first opportunity that I could grab. Career Source took us through a 3-day training that helped us understand the importance of work ethics, resumes, and etc. They held a job fair, and that was where I met my plans for the rest of the summer. Every day at the Chamber is something different. From running to meetings to making copies, I enjoyed every bit of it.

Right from the start, they welcomed me with open arms and warm smiles. The staff at the Chamber always made my day. They all gave me something I thought I didn’t need, which was reassurance. They have given me a sense of hope that things will get better if I work hard. The job would be nothing without the Chamber staff.

Christina Pilkington took me to places in Kissimmee that I didn’t even know existed and made me aware of the different opportunities this city can offer me. The meetings I went to were always exciting and interesting. I was intrigued by the amount of people there and how each of them wanted to contribute to our community. It was an honor to meet these outstanding board members.

After these seven weeks of work, I have learned the ins and outs of what transpires here at the Chamber and many events throughout the city.  It was a thrill to have been a part of this program and I am glad to have met everyone in the process. I know that I will always have a place to turn to when I need help. I will forever be grateful for this opportunity and will be more than willing to share my story with others.

This blog post was written by Amanda Hidalgo, an intern at the Kissimmee/Osceola County Chamber for the summer of 2019 through CareerSource’s Summer Youth Program.  Amanda is a senior in the International Baccalaureate Program at Gateway High School.  She is very active with ROTC and would like to attend the US Naval Academy.