Firsthand learning
Grade 10 students learn about career choices from experienced workers
It was on-the-job training without ever going to a job site.
Grade 10 students at North Nova Education Centre recently learned firsthand about what they could expect in the workforce from the experts - people who spent a lot of time there.
The Mentoring Plus program is a pilot project hosted at NNEC in partnership with the Town of New Glasgow and the Dalhousie University/College of Continuing Education. The goal is to draw upon the skills and knowledge of retirees to mentor and support youth and young adults as they explore and connect to potential future career paths.
“You have to be aware of what is out there,” said New Glasgow Mayor Nancy Dicks. “Kids, 15 or 16, sometimes are thinking about it, but usually they are thinking about tomorrow. All of our representatives are really good examples of things that have changed over the years and the future of what it needs to be. These people see the changes.”
The day involved group-like sessions with mentors who worked in education, health, law, engineering, arts, entrepreneurship and more speak to the Grade 10 students about changes they have seen over the years and their best advice for moving forward.
“Speaking on behalf of the arts and the creative sector, I am letting them know in Nova Scotia, there are actually 14,000 jobs in the creative sector, and it is so much broader than the traditional idea of the arts like painters and singers. There are actually a lot of support jobs in the arts,” said Troy Greencorn, who currently manages the deCoste Entertainment Centre.
Many of the mentors spoke about the value of education, being lifelong learners and good communicators.
“The world is changing very quickly,” aid semi-retired engineer Bob Funke, who encouraged the students to pursue their education in order to take advantage of every opportunity out there.
“Have fun with education, you will learn all your life, you will never stop.”
Students taking part in the Mentoring Plus program said they were interested in hearing from people in different professions in hopes of narrowing down their own decisions.