Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas Teams Up With Parkhill to Open the Door for Future Design Professionals

How do you choose a career path? That thought can be overwhelming for anyone, especially young people nearing graduation and considering what’s next in their lives.   

Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas and Parkhill created a semester-long program for high school students to explore that question at the local Parkhill office in Abilene, Texas. Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas is located in Abilene and serves 19 counties. The company’s mission demonstrates a commitment to investing in the professional success of residents and businesses to build skills and strengthen the workforce. The goal of this program was to give the students hands-on experiences and help them more clearly define their professional aspirations.  

The selection process for the program was similar to what the application, interview, and job offer would be like for a full-time job. Noeh Rodriguez, a Merkel High School senior, and Elijah Browning, a Wylie High School senior, were chosen to shadow Parkhill professionals during their final semester before graduation. Jesse Bernard, AIA, focused on design experience and 3D printing, while Kendra Hanfeld, PE, provided insight into the field of engineering.  

“It has been fun to have some high school students in and around the office working on things, getting some exposure, education,” Jesse said. “That's a big part of our interest in the program. It goes beyond “Building Community” being a big part of Parkhill's mission, and that is largely through the projects that we develop, but also, we're looking at the young workforce in architecture and engineering, trying to bolster and encourage that and give a little bit of exposure of what it is that we do.” 

"You just have to be open, ready to learn, and cooperative. Then you'll get it." — Noeh Rodriguez

A Willingness to Learn 

Noeh Rodriguez, a senior at Merkel High School, is interested in pursuing a career in electrical engineering. He enjoys building and has had a curiosity for how things worked for as long as he can remember. During his internship with Parkhill, Noeh has been working on a model of the Abilene Regional Airport in Abilene. Noeh plans on attending the University of Texas at Austin in the fall to pursue a career in electrical engineering.  

What influenced your interest in electrical engineering? 

I remember playing with Lego sets since I was young, creating and destroying. It made me curious about the world. My father also helped with this creation. There was also one time when my brother had a pair of scissors, and he accidentally put it in an electrical socket. Yes, it shocked him a bit, but I was curious about what happened there.  

What is your typical day like during your internship at Parkhill?  

So, I come in through the front door, open my computer, and I check my emails. I log how many hours I'm going to work, and I start the Rhinoceros 3D design program. Jesse comes and helps me with the harder stuff since this is a new program I’m learning, such as different techniques and formatting. He also helps me with the more precise elements of this job. I've been modeling the airport right now and making it a 3D printable design that can be opened up and modified. 

What has been the biggest takeaway for you from this experience?  

I think the biggest takeaway, apart from the actual learning, is how corporate settings work. I learned the software they use. I learned soft skills, like how to use the computer properly. I really do feel I need to be connected to my computer and understand the software, including the communications, the emails, and everything. It really feels like it's going to help me in the future. 

What would you say to any other student who might be looking at this program?  

I feel like they should really give it a chance. You just have to be open, ready to learn, and cooperative. Then you'll get it. It's really easy to start learning, but it takes time to start seeing results. 

“That's what seems to be the biggest takeaway when you go out into the workforce. You need everybody.” — Elijah Browning 

Every Piece of the Puzzle Matters 

Elijah Browning, a senior at Wylie High School, is interested in pursuing a career in design.  He enjoys the STEM classes offered to him at his school and learning about engineering but is drawn to the artistic nature that architecture provides. During his internship with Parkhill, he has been working on a 3D model of ACU's Science and Engineering Research Center. Elijah plans on attending a junior college and then transferring to the University of Texas at Arlington to pursue a career in architecture. 

What is the most exciting part about your experience so far? 

I think what made me most excited was the work atmosphere. It was a lot of shadowing and that was a lot different than I would expect from a typical job. I can get more of an accurate picture of how things work. Interacting with some of the people here every day, I see the kind of progress you can make as you get better at your job, as well as more opportunities that lead to fun projects that you get to do. I think this is probably one of the better career choices I've made. 

What is your typical day like during your internship at Parkhill? 

Basically, I just have one project for this semester. I just come in and ask my mentor (Jesse Bernard) what to do for the day, and then I get to it. Most of the work includes learning and using 3D and modeling software. We're moving on to 3D printing right now, but for the most part, it is a lot of modeling.  

Why did you decide to focus on architecture during your internship at Parkhill? 

Well, with engineering, a lot of the stuff we did in our class was robotics. And I enjoyed the physical building side but less of the technical side, like the coding. But then we also did a lot of 3D software at the beginning of the year, and that tied more into architecture well in terms of the things I enjoyed most about that class. It just kind of led to architecture naturally.  

What have you learned about architecture and engineering through your modeling exercise?  

I learned that it's a lot more computer based than I anticipated. There's also a lot more pieces to the puzzle than I thought. I thought it would be simpler, but there are a lot more people doing a lot of more specific jobs. I think the biggest thing I've learned is that you can really specialize and be the little piece. It takes a lot of little pieces to make something whole. That's what seems to be the biggest takeaway when you go out into the workforce. You need everybody.