Storing clothes has never looked so good.
When Lisa Mohr, Career Center Coordinator, decided to refresh Career Services, she knew she had to do something with the racks of clothing that took up the far corner that took up a lot of space.
After the area had been rearranged and other equipment moved around, Mohr started looking at Ikea closets to do something about the clothing racks. But then she thought, “I’d have to assemble this myself” and didn’t want any of that.
After chatting with her supervisor, she approached Pat Dehler and the Carpentry students. They came to look at the space and got to work.
“This was a great learning experience for them. We did a team effort on this in three groups,” explained Dehler. “They learned a lot, and this got them started on the personal cabinets they’ll be building for the rest of the semester.”
The students divided into three teams and took on the project start to finish. They measured the space, drafted the construction, built the cabinets, fitted them, installed, and did the finishing. The Career Closet was installed just before spring break in March.
Carpentry students Brendan McDougal and John Hackett spoke about the experience and how it was satisfying to see it come to life.
“It was actually pretty great. There was a lot of routing, cutting, measuring,” said McDougal.
The three cabinets line up next to each other and have the same façade but internally one of them has different features.
When asked about how Mohr was looking at Ikea cabinets and how these compare, Hackett said: “Far from it. We picked an idea that worked and got to experience the different levels of building cabinets. We got to it and got the job done.”
The Career Closet is open to all students who need professional clothing for job interviews or to get started on their first job. Drop-ins are welcome during Career Services hours or students can make an appointment by emailing careerservices@sctcc.edu. The space is set a bit back from the door and includes a full-length mirror to check out how you look. Donations to the Career Closet are welcome any time.
Mohr is overjoyed with the final product the Carpentry students created for the Career Closet.
“They did a wonderful job,” said Mohr. “They came in, asked me questions about what I was looking for, and offered me additional features I didn’t even think of, like making sure the cabinets didn’t slam shut.”
One addition that Mohr is working on is a plaque to attach to the side to commemorate the students who worked on the project. As for the students? They are already talking about additions to the closets to make it easier for those looking for clothing. The Career Closet is a lasting installation this class will have on display at SCTCC for years to come. Stop by and check it out!
