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Huh. I had a government job in highschool; I went to a poor school with a big 'occupational program' where you get one or two periods off and some school credit to go to work, you know, to help the kids who are thinking of dropping out get a diploma. It was pretty sad because there were mandatory class days where they showed you videos about how to be a better retail employee; I can still tell you the steps they taught us to spot short-change scams and shoplifters. It's sad because they could have just as easily spent some time talking about various trades one could learn by becoming an apprentice. I had a job at the local computer repair shop the summer before[1] where I obtained some contacts, so I became the IT guy for the local county health department. It was a really great experience for me. I was about 16, and I think 40 was pretty young for the office. I don't know if I got much by way of mentoring as an IT guy (well, later on they hired another guy who was way better than I was and I did get some mentoring, but for most of the time I was there it was me and the office manager, who probably knew less than I did about most computer things) but there was a lot of /very important/ social mentoring I got. I learned how to (at least kind of) act like an adult, or at least how to interact with adults in a healthy manner. On a social level, the semi-technical guy who hired me was one of the best people managers I've worked for. I think it was an all around win/win; I got treated like a human being (which feels /incredibly special/ to a high school kid.) and I learned how to more productively deal with less-technical adults, and I got out of some school. They got a reasonably skilled IT monkey for minimum wage. After I got out of high school, of course, it was .com time, and I have not had reason to look back at government work since, just because I don't value stability that much and there's little chance I'd have the patience to wait it out long enough to get the pension. I still look back somewhat fondly on my time working for the state. (Or rather, the county.) [1] my stepmother made me quit that job 'cause they had no workman's comp and I was being "exploited" for slightly under minimum wage. I was 15! it was far less dangerous than anything else a kid that age might reasonably do for fun, and they gave me discounts on used computer parts for the next three years, so I thought it was great. Anyhow, it worked out okay, but it's another side to "exploitation" |