We were lucky to catch up with Jay Dodwell recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Jay thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Looking back at internships and apprenticeships can be interesting, because there is so much variety in people’s experiences – and often those experiences inform our own leadership style. Do you have an interesting story from that stage of your career that you can share with us?
When I was a senior in college, I was fortunate enough to get the one internship. that San Diego State University recreation department offers through the City of San Diego. I was stationed at the main lifeguard station in Mission Bay. It was also where the Recreation and Parks Department headquarters was located. It exposed me to how maintenance level of management and operations were conducted at the top level of management. I learned a great deal over my year-long internship. It has proven to be a very valuable experience.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I basically started my career. here at the Thousand Oaks Teen Center 35 years ago. We are a full-service recreation facility that offers a wide variety of programs that are designed to meet the needs of all kinds of teenagers. Teens 12-17 will find free of charge an indoor gymnasium, soundproof music room, huge gameroom that includes billiard’s tables, ping pong, air hockey, foosball, 4K TV gaming stations, computer lab with lightning-fast internet, commercial kitchen, lighted sport court, stage area, BBQ zone, and a skate plaza. It’s like a resort for teenagers!
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
We treat teens here with respect. We know that they are not mandated to attend (like school). Kids chose to come here during their leisure time. We try our best to make sure they safe and having fun at all times. We truly show that we care. They see and feel this. This strategy has worked well over the years and has kept us in business for over 35 years.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
You really need to have a strong sense of passion. Being driven by a desire to make a difference in someone’s life other than your own is the main thing that has kept me going all these years.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thousandoaksteencenter.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thousandoaksteencenter/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thousandoaksteencenter