Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona believes in empowering the potential of youth in our community. We are honored to have incredible partners to stand beside us in this effort. Recently we were able to team up with American Express to host a career readiness workshop for our High School aged Littles.
The event started with an incredible panel of American Express employees (in varied roles throughout the company) who provided details on their individual career paths and their current roles within the organization. Each panelist also took a moment to offer words of advice for our Littles as they prepare to plot their own futures.
After the panel, Littles were able to rotate through four stations:
Know your skills
This station focused on the differences between hard skills and soft skills. An emphasis was placed on the skills needed to help Littles get a job, keep a job, and build better relationships.
Interview prep
Jenga pieces were used to randomize possible questions Littles might see in interviews or on applications. This helped our Littles build their confidence and made the idea of an interview less intimidating.
Build your brand
This station offered examples of professional branding, from social profiles to career fairs and resumes. The team showed Littles that there are many tools available to help them build their resumes including leveraging Artificial intelligence.
Dress for success
Professional business clothing was provided and each Little was able to get a headshot. There was an overview of how to dress and the team shared best practices for professional conduct in an ever-changing landscape.
Overall, 21 Littles and their Bigs or Parents attended this impactful event. If your company is interested in partnering with BBBSAZ to host a career day for our Littles, please contact our Director of Big Futures Programming, Ashley Doyle at adoyle@bbbsaz.org.