The idea for YES arose out of the Capital Region Workforce Development Board’s experiences with a summer youth employment program. "Business owners were telling us that students applying for summer jobs lacked some basic professionalism expected during a job search," says Lauren Weisberg-Kaufman, executive director of CBIA's Education Foundation. "They didn't always know how to dress and conduct themselves professionally." The board asked CBIA to recruit accomplished professionals to volunteer as employability coaches and mentors for students. CBIA was also charged with matching YES graduates with Hartford-area employers looking to hire.
"Aside from employability skills, YES students have gained inspiration from their mentors," says Walker. "Many YES Academy mentors have overcome serious economic and demographic challenges to get where they are today. That makes them especially credible to students who might be struggling with similar circumstances themselves."
If you are interested in being a YES volunteer or hiring YES graduates, contact Dayl Walker.
Ready to Work? Students Say YES!
Mathematical literacy.
Writing proficiency.
The ability to read and follow directions.
These fundamental skills might get you an interview— but are they enough to get you hired?
"Not if you show up late or with a bad attitude," says Dayl Walker, program manager for CBIA's Education Foundation. "Aside from academic credentials, hiring managers are looking for 'employability skills,' which include punctuality, appropriate speech and attire, and a positive attitude." Unfortunately, she adds, many young job seekers are unaware of how much these factors matter. What's more, employability isn't typically taught in school.
That is, unless that school is the YES Academy.
A Solid Case for "Soft Skills"
The YES (Youth Employability Skills) Academy is an intensive weeklong program of workshops that prepares high-school juniors and seniors for some of the unwritten demands of the workplace: team spirit, effective interpersonal and interviewing skills, leadership, good decision-making, and a neat, clean appearance. Students meet with human resources specialists and business mentors to practice resume-writing, interviewing, consensus-building strategies, conflict resolution, and other competencies that can help them succeed in the workplace.
YES training, which takes place during spring break, has attracted more than 120 young people eager to learn from Connecticut's working professionals. Students have hailed from Weaver, Bulkeley, East Hartford, andHartford public high schools as well as Hartford's Academy of Sports and Medical Sciences.
