One hour and thirty-six minutes: That’s all the time that Rinkey Hersey, 24, missed over the six-month Waan Aelon in Majel (WAM) vocational training program, which ends this Friday.
“That’s pretty amazing!” said Associate Director Kathy Hutton.
As part of teaching good work ethics, the Waan Aelon in Majel (WAM) program’s directors are extremely strict about trainees clocking in and out, which is done in clear view of management in the upstairs office.
Hersey’s punctuality, and other newly-learned skills, has made the program a complete success for him as he’s one of the trainees who will graduate and move straight into a full time job.
Born in Delap, Hersey has four younger sisters. He attended Delap Elementary School and then Calvary High, graduating in 2004. “I then got a job at the Frank K store in Uliga, then I worked in the packing division at Pan Pacific Foods.”
That job ran out, and he struggled to find another. “But I did do referee training with the Basketball Federation,” he said. Then, late in 2010, he saw an ad in the Journal for the WAM training program, which was to begin in January, 2011, and applied. He was successful, but funding was held up and the program didn’t start until August.
“I applied because I wanted to learn how to build a canoe. I have seen how the old men and women of the Marshall Islands have been losing their traditions and their culture and I wanted to find out more about it so I can continue the traditions.
“Because I’d had training before, I already knew how to focus, to pay attention to the teacher.”
One of Hersey’s favorite parts of the program is spending time with people from other countries. “I love going out with the visitors on a canoe,” he said. “I’ve also really enjoyed learning how to carve,” he said. “This was the first time for me, but I picked it up okay.”
Ijikar Abraham and Ken Taggart were his carpentry instructors and one of the items Hersey has made in the program is a large clock for the hardware store Do It Best.
No doubt one fact that helped Hersey have such a good time score is that he doesn’t drink alcohol. “I used to drink in high school a bit, but I haven’t had a drink now in three or four years.
“The difference the WAM program has made for me is that before I couldn’t stand in front of people. I thought I couldn’t do anything. Now I see myself a lot differently. I’m not shy any more and I’ve learned I can do more.”
During the two-week Christmas break, Hersey interned at Do It Best. “I really liked the work. I was in the warehouse.”
The feeling was mutual. Do It Best manager Larry Hernandez said: “The kid is awesome. He’s punctual, he’s responsible, he is a kid who doesn’t sit back and watch. He’s always eager to do more. He’s a proactive kind of guy!”
