Announcement
Connect2Work youth participants with tour guide James (second from left) and IRC Refugee Youth Program Coordinator, Rita (center) visit a lab at UCSD.
Recently students in our Connect2Work program got to meet with an engineer, a physician, and a scientist/small businesses owner to talk about how they got started and how they got to where they are today in their careers. Exposing refugee youth who arrived in the US at age 18 or older to these and many other career options is especially important since many haven't had the opportunity to participate in a traditional educational trajectory that leads to clear career pathways. By the end of the discussion, all of the students had real-life examples of how starting in an entry-level position and setting goals can lead to future success and were excitedly talking about how they can do the same to achieve their own career goals.
Youth in the Connect2Work program had the chance to participate in a panel discussion with a physician, an engineer, and a scientist/small business owner to learn how they built successful careers in their fields.
The Connect2Work program supports youth age 18-24 and includes GED and basic skills instruction, work-readiness training, financial education and counseling, entrepreneurship training, financial support services, and integrated behavioral health activities including group and individualized counseling. Career exploration activities, college tours, and paid internships with high-growth employers expose youth to all of the opportunities that exist and demonstrate how they can set goals and achieve them.
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