Helping students find their purpose and build confidence
Did someone teach you how to shake hands? When to make a phone call instead of sending an email? How to feel confident in a job interview? These are a few of things students in our Career Readiness Academy have learned over the past two months.
What is the Career Readiness Academy?
We launched the pilot of our Career Readiness Academy in January 2022. This program is designed to provide 20 low-income BVSD high school students with workforce readiness skills, training, and leadership development to help prepare them for success after graduation.
The sessions are delivered in partnership with industry and community professionals who know firsthand how the application of these skills leads to success. So far, students:
- were guided through a self-knowledge journey and exercises to find their purpose with Ross Wehner of the World Leadership School,
- learned about professional communications and networking, including best practices for emails, phone calls, texting, and tips for expanding their networks, from Royce Hauw of Goodyear and Natasha Wright of Google,
- learned and practiced new skills through an evening of mock interviews with local HR professionals who shared their wisdom and experience.
How one student described the most valuable thing they learned:
“Communication, because I didn’t realize I could make a stronger impression from just shaking someone’s hand.”
Career Readiness Participant
What other skills will participants gain?
In the remaining four workshops, Career Readiness Academy students will learn about different skill sets and what jobs they may align with, the impact of social media, and participate in workplace simulations. We’ll also be working closely with our community partners to help students line up summer employment and put all of their new skills to use.
Is your company is interested in supporting our work?
Learn about corporate partnerships >>
Thank you to our Career Readiness Academy sponsors, Anchor Point Foundation, Seagate Technology, Premier Members Credit Union, Cielo Foundation Boulder, and Google. And thank you to IOE volunteer Cathleen Kendall for leading the preparation for our mock interview session last week and the 20 volunteer business leaders who participated.
BEFORE YOU GO …
Impact on Education is a nonprofit organization, and we depend on our community to help us put our mission into action. We support Boulder Valley public school students with community funding and resources in order to meet critical needs and eliminate opportunity gaps. Your support keeps us going strong and your donation will help us equalize opportunity, bolster academic success for local students.
