Partnerships with cities and schools to create internship programs give students an opportunity to apply what they are learning to practical job experience. It is rewarding to employers on a personal and professional level by opening doors to young workers and providing mentoring to these potential future employees.
Beyond basic technical skills, versatility, curiosity, and drive are several very important traits to have in order to be more effective in your career.
The important skills required to manage your own career help provide the guidelines for what strengths to look for in bringing new people into a company. On the technical side, you want someone who is creative and able to think outside of the box. On a personal level, you want to find people who content where they are but want to help the company grow. A person that shows great curiosity, even in areas that are not a part of their expertise is an eye-catcher in the interviewing process.
In addition to the standard technical skills required to do the job well, Mark emphasizes three more things that are important to him in finding the right employees. These include speech, critical thinking, and last, but not least, drama. To effect change in a corporation or any business for that matter, you’re constantly reading a skeptical audience. The skill in reading an audience through body language and timing will drive how you present the information.
You can gain a lot of technical skills in school, but sharpening your soft skills, like being effective, can get you even further, based on versatility, curiosity and drive. Also, understanding the skill of compromise, and keeping your sights on the end goal will help you work through the day to day challenges.
Amada Miyachi also offers a sort of internship/mentoring program to students seeking to learn new skills and get some hands-on job experience. This not only gives practical training to individuals looking to get into the field, but is also rewarding to the employee overseeing them as a mentor. It helps hone the employee’s skills for possibly moving up in management levels as a supervisor, as well as inspiring a potential new employee.
Through the eight-week program, many students grow immensely in confidence and skills that reaffirm that they are on the right path to a career they will enjoy. All in all, the program has very positive benefits to both the company and the students who get the opportunity to explore a field before finishing school. A huge takeaway that the students get is that they don’t feel like they are treated like kids or students, but peers communicating ideas. This also boosts confidence in working with people as a team.
Through partnerships with schools and cities with intern programs, students get an opportunity to see the possibilities of careers they can go into and how they can apply what they are learning to practical job skills. On the employer’s side, it takes certain individuals who not only have the drive to serve the community and share knowledge but also an awareness that there needs to be a pipeline for the future; to open those windows and doors for the next generation to succeed and be effective in their careers.
episode 2 – interview with
Mark Rodighiero, Exec. VP Technology & Business Development
Tina Carey, Director of Administrative Services
Amada Miyachi