NEWRY, Maine — A lot of students in Oxford County are used to spending time at Maine ski areas like Sunday River, or avoiding the traffic that comes to town every winter.
But on Thursday, 175 students from Telstar High School, Mountain Valley High School, and Buckfield Junior-Senior High School had the chance to learn more about Sunday River and all the career opportunities it offers.
“The idea is to keep these kids here after they graduate so they don’t have to run away and leave Maine," Sunday River's Recruitment and Retention Manager Jessica Haight said.
This field trip and career fair is part of an initiative by the Maine Tourism Association to show local students that there are a number of ways to build a career in their home community. Haight said many of the events have been held along the coast, and she wanted to incorporate western Maine into the program.
Students moved throughout the resort and met with employees from 12 different departments. The kids learned what goes into operating hotels and restaurants, were able to see what lift operators do during the off-season, and hear from administrative employees among other meetings.
“I didn’t realize there was so many job opportunities up here, I had never really thought about it and I realized there’s actually a lot we could do here," Telstar junior Rylee Cooper said.
She and her classmate Hayley Smith both said they're interested in the hospitality sector of the tourism and recreation industry. Despite going to school just down the road, Smith said she has never really seen the behind-the-scenes work at Sunday River before.
“It's kind of cool," she added. “You can start and kind of learn and grow and get to where you want to be in a higher position.”
Keeping Mainers in Maine is a goal for Sunday River President Dana Bullen. Like plenty of other Farmington natives, Bullen fell in love with skiing when his dad took him to the slopes. He began working in the rental shop at the resort 38 years ago and worked his way up.
“For me, there’s a special connection because 40 years ago, I could have been any one of these kids," Bullen said. “It’s important for us to grow people in the local community. We’re a part of the local community, we’re not a driver of it, we’re a part of it.”
He added the resort employs around 1,200 people during the ski season, and Sunday River is still looking to hire for positions before the winter begins.
“There’s a rhythm to a ski resort and this time of year. There’s a special energy that the entire team has, getting ready for our guests," he said.