Learning to Make Good Decisions Before Making Career Decisions
Did you know what you wanted to do in 7th grade? Are you in the career you thought you’d be in when you were in 7th grade? How have you changed since you were a 7th grader?
It seems counter-intuitive to engage students so early in conversations about their career goals. But students in middle school must start thinking about what types of classes they want to take in high school and the classes students take in high school can strongly impact the career pathways open to them after they graduate. How do we prepare students to make these decisions? Part of the answer is exposure- showing students what’s out there. Part of the answer is success skills, also called soft skills or life skills. These skills prepare them to be successful in whatever professional, and personal, endeavors they pursue.
BB2C’s Career Mentor Program recruits professionals from the community who are interested in working with middle school students in Washington County. The volunteers go through an engaging day-long training, where they are equipped with knowledge and tools to connect with their students. They then meet regularly with their students throughout the school year. Career mentors work with middle school students on success skills such as accountability, time management, communication, networking, goal setting, and more. They also identify shared interests and have a chance to build positive, supportive relationships.
A highlight of BB2C’s Career Mentor Program is their annual field trip. For many years now, Career Mentor students from all of the Washington County public schools are invited to attend with their Career Mentors. Each year has different activities put on by different departments and student leaders. This year, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and their student leaders created a career immersion event for the mentees. Middle school students chose a career interest from the following list:
Athletic Coach
Chef
Nurse
Counselor
Journalist
Astronomer/Physicist
Petroleum Engineer/Geologist
Chemist
They then visited with staff and faculty on campus to complete different activities such making chicken noodle soup, measuring volume and pressure, testing water quality, and taking vital statistics. Tony Mayle, Marietta College’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion, said that he was excited to set-up the day for students in part because of his career pathway including being a career counselor in the past. He shared that a quote that has always stuck with him when it comes to careers is, “Unless a job means more than pay, it will never mean more.”
Students shared positive feedback from the day and about the Career Mentor program in general. Many of the students wrote about how much they appreciate and enjoy their mentors. They had fun with the activities including being able to visit the department that houses journalism, meeting the physics faculty, and of course tasting the food prepared by the chef. Students look forward to exploring other career interests in the future.
A special thank you to Marietta College for hosting this event; to their Diversity & Inclusion Office, including their director and their student leaders for putting on the event; and to the Career Mentors for taking time out of their workday to be a part of the opportunity.
If you’re interested in learning more abour or becoming a Career Mentor Volunteer, please email Barb Schafer, Career Mentor Coordinator, at bschafer@bb2careers.org. Career Mentor volunteer training happens every August.