Sometimes opportunities to gain work experience pop up in unusual places. Like at comic book conventions. During the weekend of September 10th and 11th, six students from Springdale Job Corps Center worked at Rose City Comic Con in Portland, Oregon, honing their skills in customer service. Students worked at the Admissions booth, selling badges to attendees and handing out badges to people who had pre-purchased them. Students also worked showing people where different events were being held, where bathrooms were, and where vendors were on the show floor.

Business & Community Liaison Anna Snyder has been arranging this opportunity for students for the last four conventions. “In the past this was strictly voluntary,” she explains. “This year the organizers of Rose City Comic Con decided they needed fewer people and they would pay the people who worked in addition to giving them a free badge to attend events at the con.” This meant that every student who worked got to have a little bit of fun and make a little bit of money. “It’s a unique situation,” says Anna. “There are a LOT of people, you have to work fast, and it can be a lot of crazy fun. I love setting this up for students. Every time I do it, I know they will have a lot of fun!”

Health Occupations student Grace Nielson was excited about attending her first comics convention and earning a little bit of cash. “I’ve never been to a con before and I was really excited even before I knew I’d be paid. Being paid to go to a con? It’s the best of both worlds!”

“The amount of work that goes in to making the arrangements can be taxing,” Anna continues. “Every year I think this is the last time I’m going to do it. But then the students tell me about their experiences and what they saw and I decide I have to do it again, if for nothing else than to make sure those that want it have the opportunity to take what they’re learning in training and apply it somewhere they never considered. Experience that can be applied to their career goals sometimes comes from odd places!”

Rose City Comic Con takes place at the Oregon Convention Center in downtown Portland, Oregon every September.