A summer partnership between Old Navy and the Boys & Girls Club of Jefferson City immersed a dozen youths in retail business as an opportunity to gain job skills.
Through the ON (Old Navy) The Job program, 12 local teens and pre-teens got an inside look Tuesday at how a retail store operates. During the program, they were trained on how to dress mannequins, how the fitting room works, folding techniques and cashier duties.
Desmond White, a 12-year-old Boys & Girls Club member, said after his experience he knows for sure he would like to work in retail.
"These skills will help me in the future when I'm looking for my first job, which I would like to be at Hibbett Sports or another shoe store," White said.
Liz Vieth, general manager at the local Old Navy store, said the program has been around for at least nine years, helping teens gain experience in retail and encouraging them to apply when they turn 16.
"Our company, Gap Inc., has been heavily involved with organizations like the Boys & Girls Club since it was founded by Don and Doris Fisher," Vieth said. "So it's just been something special to our company's heart to reach out to them and maintain that partnership in this community. In the past, we have hired kids from the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization who had also experienced the program."
Earlier Tuesday, Boys & Girls Club staff provided the teens with tips about the importance of a resume, how to fill out applications and how to dress professionally.
Paris Lewis, the club's director of secondary education, said this was an exciting outing for the youth because they will be able to talk about this experience and share what they learned with their parents and peers.
"A lot of them don't know all it takes on a day-to-day to operate a retail organization like Old Navy," Lewis said. "We want to continue to give them opportunities like these to build their confidence and step outside of their comfort zone."
She said the youth may have come by to shop but really didn't understand what it takes to make things look perfect, dress the mannequins, and mix and match the styles.
Emmarie Graham, 12, said she had fun with the experience. Her favorite part was dressing the mannequins.
"I can see myself working in retail, especially since I have experience now," Graham said. "One day, I want to work in marketing, and this is a great step toward that goal."