One of the reasons for coming across the country with Barbara and Tom was to help with this conference as a Judge in the Job Interview classification. There are over 100 skills represented here, from welding to robotics, automotive repair to plumbing, culinary arts to refrigeration systems ... WAY too many to list, and of course the most important ... the Job Interview. The Westerfields daughter Jenny Waite co-chairs that competition, which alone has over 20 judges, so you can imagine how many people are involved in all of the competitions attended by over 6000 students from across the U.S.
If you aren't familiar with this program, it's been around since 1964. Don't feel bad, I never heard of it either. It's akin to the National Future Farmers of America program. There was a lot of information for me to absorb, so I hope I'm getting it right!!!
Yesterday we signed in and got our magic "tap" badges that allow us entry anywhere, anytime. How cool is that???
From there I got a two hour walking tour of this facility which is absolutely huge. I was lost before we even started!! The streets here actually go UNDER these buildings, they are so big. We went upstairs to the Conference Center where the contests are held and walked the entire length of a football field and then some. Each section involves setups for different skills, like plumbing, even showing under-floor installation, tank after tank of acetylene for the welding competition and every trade you can imagine!
Here's one I didn't know they included ... aircraft mechanics. They have an entire engine here the kids use to show their proficiency at repairs. Those that win the competitions are loaded down with prizes, scholarships and job offers!!
Just to show you how huge this room is ... these are real, full size trucks you see on the highways, set up by one of the local firms for the diesel mechanics competition!! This room pretty much makes them look like Tonka Toys!!
From the contest floor, we found the sign shop, picked up our Interview signs and headed off somewhere upstairs on the complete opposite side of the building to our rooms, which needed to be set up for the initial orientation and the later actual interviews. You can tell Tom and Jenny are hard at work while Barbara and I are moving chairs around!! NOT ... actually we're just killing time until the 2:00 Technical Meeting.
After the meeting, the tour continued to the Music Theatre. This part of the building complex was built in the 30's, as you can see by the Art Deco style. These are all I-Phone pics, but I wanted you to get an idea of how beautiful it was!!
We wandered up the darkened stairs, I-Phone flashlights in hand, to the main theatre. There are tile and marble insets everywhere!!
When we ran into these doors, I couldn't take another step until I photographed them!! They are a show stopper for sure!!!
Now totally lost, although I did kind of have an inkling of what direction the car was, we worked our way out of the main section to the underground garage and headed home. Dinner at Bandana's BBQ was waiting and we were starving. Now stuffed to the gills ... again ... we drove over to Bass Pro's restaurant ... I know, who thought THEY would have a restaurant INSIDE ... but here in Missouri they do ... and they have GREAT bread pudding, that jumped almost to the top of our list on the quest to find the best in the U.S.
A couple of quick stops looking for Deborah Norville yarn that turned out to be a bust, we headed back to the rigs towards a beautiful sunset. I know, an I-Phone pic through a window no less ... but it WAS beautiful, and the first since we've been here!!!
Gotta run .... getting ready for the orientation meeting with the kids today at noon!! I think I'll carry my GPS in my purse, just in case I get lost!!
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