The Pathways program benefits both the students and the
monument. Take a look at some of the work that has been done during the summer of 2020.
At Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument our mission is to set
apart and preserve for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people the
ruins of prehistoric Indian pueblos and associated seventeenth century
Franciscan Spanish mission ruins.
Stabilization of the ruins is therefore
an integral part of our mission. Each year Salinas provides young adults
with the opportunity to gain Federal employment experience through the Pathways program.
It is not always easy to get started with a career with the Federal
government. Participation in a program like Pathways can lead to
a permanent position and advancement as demonstrated by one of
Salinas' employees Vicente Gutierrez.
My name is Vicente Gutierrez, and I've been here for ten years now. I started
when I was about sixteen years old with the Pathways program.
And yeah, I became permanent about three years ago, four years ago and you know, one of the maintenance guys.
So, how do you feel that Pathways changed your views on the National Park Service?
It opened up a lot of opportunities
It was a good job for, I guess, anyone who is in high school, sixteen.
It's close to the communities around here and it, I don't know, it's
good work experience for everyone.
Did you consider a career in the National Park Service before the Pathways program?
I did not. I never really knew much about the Park Service,
so this really opened my eyes.
So, you said you started when you're sixteen. So you started at
an entry-level position and then you've worked your way up over the years?
Yes. So like I started as a WG-3 when I was sixteen
and every year I guess I got promoted. I was a four and then a five.
And, then,
I guess I turned into a seven when I got permanent. Congratulations.
So, what kind of skills have you learned through working at Salinas? You learn a lot of different skills. It's like a bunch
of masonry work, carpentry work, woodworking, pretty much, I don't know, a lot of stuff, everything.
So, when you get a new crew in at the
start of the year, how do you actually bring the crew together because you can't just have them start
in the ruins right away. What do you do to prepare them for the work that they're gonna do? We do safety meetings and
I guess job-related tasks what they will be doing.
We'll just kind of run through it and show them first, like show them how we
tuckpoint and what to expect and then they kind of take
over and use their own skills on it and they get better every summer.
So, within the crew itself as you worked your way up you also
have some supervisory positions under you as well. So have you also trained those students?
Yes, so like when I first started, I was a
three and then when I became a four and a five I was kind of like
their supervisor and so now that I'm a seven, we have fours and fives that we supervise and they kind of help lead the new crew in tuckpointing and stabilizing.
So, how do you bring the crew together as a group?
And, I've heard a lot from the other students about the teamwork that they developed
and the leadership skills. How do you actually work to develop that?
It's just showing them and we kind of when we first start in the beginning of the summer we'll put everyone like close together on the
same wall and like they see what the others are doing.
I guess with the people have been here long enough they show them,
so like they all just work together. They catch on really quick.
So, I saw two different groups out there, we've got the YCC
and the Pathways. How do they come together?
It's all the same work, so we don't really see that one's YCC and one's Pathways.
They're all under the same supervisors and they all work together. It's not any separate.
And, where do you see yourself
going in the Park Service, or do you have some other career plan? I like where I'm at now.
Maybe just try to climb the ladder and see how far I can go. I'm not sure if I can
go anywhere but I'm happy with where I'm at. Well, thanks Vicente. Thanks.
This season's work is drawing to a close for our Pathways students,
but be sure to keep an eye on USAJOBS.GOV
for future opportunities.