SCARBOROUGH – It is hard to find a job that is more rockin’ than Jason Gredlics’ current position with Little Caesars Pizza in Scarborough.

While people may not recognize Gredlics’ name, those who have passed by along Gallery Boulevard on the way to nearby stores such as Wal-Mart or Marden’s, almost certainly have seen the 2010 South Portland High School graduate in action as a human billboard.

Gredlics, who lives along the South Portland/Scarborough line, is a so-called “shaker boarder” for the pizza chain. His job, during nice weather at least, is to dance, shake a Little Caesars sign and attract customers to the pizza chain.

“It’s fun,” Gredlics said during a break last week. “I just dance and listen to my iPod. I have fans who drive by and cheer me on. It definitely makes the job more thrilling. It’s great place to work.”

Gredlics, who during his sessions with the shaker board tends to either listen to WPOR 101.9 FM on the radio or his favorite country music artists, Toby Keith, Alan Jackson and Randy Travis, began working in the pizza shop in December 2009, shortly after Little Caesars opened in the location. He took the job, which includes food preparation, as well, because of his interest in a career in food service.

“The job was in my field of interest, which is cooking and baking,” Gredlics said.

For the past two years, while enrolled at South Portland High School, he has been studying food service at Portland Arts and Technology High School. He graduated from the two-year program just before his high school graduation, which he calls “the best day of my life.” The first year of the program, he said, is focused on fast food and the second year on culinary concepts for cooking and baking.

“It was a rewarding experience,” Gredlics said of the PATHS program. “It taught me a lot that I can bring to the next job that comes my way.”

Eventually, Gredlics said he would like to attend Southern Maine Community College to enroll in the culinary arts program with the hopes of one day opening his own restaurant, but in the meantime he is enjoying the work he is doing right now.

“This allows me to just be myself. That is what makes it fun,” he said. “I get to be outside and enjoy the weather.”

Gredlics, who works Tuesdays through Saturdays during lunch and dinner hours, said most people who drive by and notice him are supportive. Other, however, pass by yelling negative things to him, ridiculing his employment.

He tries to not let the negative comments upset him.

“It fazes me a little, but I try to let it go and focus on the positive things,” he said.

Christina Ernst, supervisor of the Little Caesars location in Scarborough, said Gredlics is not the only Little Caesars shaker boarder to take the job seriously. A competition, she said, was held earlier this year in Las Vegas where the winner pocketed several thousand dollars,

She said because of the store’s location, off the main drag a bit, the extra publicity that Gredlics brings in is helpful.

“You wouldn’t believe how many people come in here and tell me ‘I wouldn’t know you were here if I hadn’t seen the shaker board,'” she said. “It is an awesome advertisement. He likes to dance so it is a perfect fit for him.”

Jason Gredlics shakes this sign and dances to country music as he gets the attention of drivers – all part of his job as a Scarborough Little Caesars “shaker boarder.” (Staff photo by Michael Kelley)