The Pasadena Chamber of Commerce’s workforce development reach has extended into Rosemead with Don Bosco Technical Institute. The Chamber's Workforce Development Director, Amy Foell, facilitated an internship with Pasadena Heritage for Don Bosco student Gavin Yam. Pasadena Heritage is a local preservation organization that focuses on preserving the architectural and cultural history of Pasadena. At a ceremony at Don Bosco Technical Institute, the Chamber was among those recognized for assisting student interns. Ms. Foell was among those recognized by Don Bosco tech at a luncheon at the San Gabriel campus recently. Pasadena Heritage was also recognized for hosting Mr. Yam during the summer.
"Gavin was a fast learner and eager to take on a variety of projects," said Pasadena Heritage Volunteer and Membership Coordinator Kristen Norton. His background in STEM education was especially beneficial as he was able to approach our projects with a different perspective. During his internship, he helped with several crucial projects."
Mr. Yam spent a large portion of his time correcting discrepancies in the Pasadena Heritage database. He also assisted the Development Coordinator, Hayden Prater, in researching our organization’s history for the 40th Anniversary Gala program, which included a timeline of events significant to the development of Pasadena Heritage. To do this he digitized photographs from Pasadena Heritage's files, and searched through the collection of scanned images to find photos that reflected the organization's history. Mr. Yam also worked closely with Communications Coordinator, Katherine Baxter, to assist with advertiser outreach for the 26th Annual Craftsman Weekend program. "Overall, we tried to give Gavin a glimpse of what it was like to work for a small but active nonprofit," Ms. Norton said.
The Chamber's work-based learning efforts focus on Pasadena and Pasadena Unified School District students. "When there are more companies 
While interning at Pasadena Heritage, Mr. Yam assisted in the office and worked with Pasadena Heritage staff to update their online presence and supported planning efforts for Pasadena Heritage's 40th anniversary celebration.
"We are already gearing up for our next internship program and have a motivated group of juniors, several of who live in Pasadena and Altadena," said Annie Sigoloff, Don Bosco's manager of foundation relations. "Our now senior Gavin Yam had a wonderful experience with the Pasadena Heritage Foundation last summer. We really appreciate you providing us resources for our program through the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce."
"Senior, Gavin Yam had a wonderful summer internship experience with Pasadena Heritage," Ms. Foell said. "Thanks to participating member’s like Pasadena Heritage, we are able to give youth a head start navigating the competitive waters of the world of work."
If you’d like to become involved with the Chamber's work-based learning initiatives, please contact amy@pasadena-chamber.org