Community Connections

For a non-profit agency in today's economic climate, collaboration is the most important strategy for sustainability and growth. Collaboration is something that many organizations either don't want to do, don't know how to do, or refuse to do. It is a fundamental principle of the Hire Learning vision to connect and collaborate with other community stakeholders, and I don't understand why more agencies do not find it vitally important to do so.

So, this is how I see it: 1) resources are limited - anyone funded by the State of Illinois knows this painfully well; 2) community need is vast; 3) even if I wanted to, I CANNOT serve everyone that needs to be serviced. Understanding these three variables, I believe that my willingness to collaborate makes my delivery more efficient and impactful.

No, I am not bragging on how fabulous we are (although we are pretty dope!), but at this moment I am humbled and appreciative of the new partnership created between Hire Learning and the Salvation Army Joan and Ray Kroc Community Center! After much conversation about the needs of the 34th Ward community, their Board has agreed to partner with Hire Learning to offer Information Technology certification classes to any WIA eligible community members! Participants will be able to learn computer repair and maintenance, networking, IT security, website development, and Microsoft Office Suite. Classes are tentatively scheduled to begin in early October (Please check our website for updated information.) As well, participants will receive soft skills training such as resume writing, interviewing and job search techniques.

Today's jobs require employees to have technical knowledge. We are interested in providing real solutions to unemployment by giving people the skills they need to move into high-wage earning industries, and make enough money to really take care of themselves and their families. And we are thrilled to be in partnership with the Salvation Army to better serve the community!

NO EXPERIENCE? NO PROBLEM!

One of the biggest fears of many first time employees is the lack of experience in their fields. This insecurity is common and understandable due to the learning curve that most of us face when we are entering a new field or a new position. The good news is, however, that the lack of experience has many positive advantages!

So, when you’re preparing for your interview and feel like you might not be ready for the job, remember you just might have more to offer than you think!

(And, this week, we are going to cheat on our Friday Fives and give you the first 4 from Glassdoor Blog and the last one from us! Why are we cheating? Because we like what they have to say!)

Today’s Friday Five!

5 Advantages Inexperienced Job Seekers Bring to Employers

1.    You Are Moldable

First of all, you haven’t developed any of the bad habits that someone with years of ‘know-how’ may have picked up along the way. What this means to a hiring manager is that you can be molded and trained to their way of doing things. And, the last thing any manager wants to hear from a newly hired employee is how the last company they worked for did things ‘this way’ or ‘that way.

Employers have already spent the time and money developing their own way of doing things, and an inexperienced employee is usually more likely to be on board with learning and taking ownership of these established practices. This, of course, helps to keep things moving along smoothly since the disruptive nature of someone set in their ways can sometimes upset the workplace apple cart.

2.    You Are Excited

Your lack of experience lends itself to youthful exuberance for the task at hand. Like someone seeing the Grand Canyon or Disney World for the first time, a neophyte is seen as being more excited about learning all there is to know about their new position. You are seen as not only receptive, but anticipatory of the next challenge, and can hardly wait to meet and conquer whatever challenge is put before you. This is a trait that is more often than not almost non-existent in someone who “has been there, done that.”

3.    You Pitch In

While more experienced employees may have created impenetrable boundaries as to what their job duties are, you lack preconceived notions as to your job description limitations, knocking down impassable walls toward productivity. Your openness to doing “whatever it takes” to pitch in and get the job done for the good of the team is refreshing.

4.    You Are a Bargain

Of course, it would be naive to think that the company isn’t watching its bottom line when they choose to hire someone lacking experience. Profit is and always will be the key motivator for any company. And that’s a good thing for all involved. After all, if the company isn’t making money, they certainly don’t need you.

5.    You Have a Fresh Perspective

Seeing things through new eyes often uncovers a perspective that hasn’t been seen. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box and let your employer know that you are able to. A company with diverse staff with diverse thinking creates an innovative environment – be ready to jump in and add your own flavor!

(Source: Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, MRW; Glassdoor.com)

If you are looking for training or work readiness services, visit Hire Learning Career Development Academy at www.hirelearningonline.org, follow us on Twitter at #hire_learning, or contact us 708-856-0623.

Look for more great information in our next Friday Five next week!

We've Been Out of Touch! But I'm Back With Our Friday Fives!

Hey Hire Learning blog friends, I have certainly not been a good friend! I have truly ignored you these last few weeks; but only because so much good stuff has been happening for us! One of the new activities that we have undertaken has been something that we call our "Friday Fives." Its weekly tips that will keep our readers on top of the trends in employment and careers to ensure that Hire Learning readers are always informed and ready to put their best feet forward as they pursue their career goals.

Since I have been remiss in making sure that this information has been updated here, I will post all of the Friday Fives that have gone out to our readers until we are up date here, and you have the same information that our database subscribers receive. So enough talking, here's the first installment of the Hire Learning Friday Fives!

PREVIOUSLY POSTED April 6th, 2012

Today’s Friday Five!

The 5 Hottest Careers for 2012

According to Fortune Magazine, “[d]espite the fact that unemployment is stuck around 9%, …nearly 3 million job openings in the US are going unfilled. The biggest reason is a mismatch between the qualifications employers are looking for and the skills job hunters have. Well, if this sounds familiar, Hire Learning can do something about that, but before we go there, here are the hottest careers looking for people like YOU!

1.    Information Technology: consistently considered one of the fastest growing industries, IT openings exist in every single industry in the country. According to a survey by tech job site dice.com, “about 65% of hiring managers said that they hope to add tech staff in the first half of 2012 while a quarter of those (27%) said they want to expand their IT headcount by more that 20%.” Sounds like an opportunity to me!

2.    Health Care: With more and more of the population moving toward senior citizen status, the health care industry has been moving and growing for some time and isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Nurses, therapists, and health care IT professionals are in high demand. With average salaries between $60,000 and $70,000, this industry in nothing to sneeze at (without a Dr’s appointment!)

3.    Engineers: Anyone with a degree in Engineering can write their own ticket – and design it! According to Fortune, 88% of employers in a new poll by the Society for Human Resource Management are having a tough time finding enough engineers in all engineering fields.

4.    Industrial: People from the skilled trades are always needed. Electricians, carpenters, welders, etc. are being sought to replace those retiring from these areas. As well, an increase in need for employees with logistics, supply-chain management and plant management skills are heating up.

5.    Sales: from discount retailers to LED lighting companies, people with a knack for sales are always in demand because they are the ones who keep the cash flow in the black. If you have great customer service skills, there’s someone looking to put you on their team!

If you are looking for training or work readiness services, visit Hire Learning Career Development Academy at www.hirelearningonline.org, follow us on Twitter at #hire_learning, or contact us 708-856-0623.

Look for more great information in our next Friday Five next week!

Helicopter Parents: Don't Hover!

60% of Human Resource professionals have stated that young people graduating from high and college are not ready for the work world. This staggering statistic demonstrates the need for more attention toward our youth's educational experiences. While our high schools focus on test taking and graduation rates, our colleges focus on course principles and theoretical practices, the ultimate goal of education - to assure the creation of a self sufficient and productive labor force - is often lost.

Unemployment rates among young people ages 16-24 are reaching record highs which spells devastation for the future of our labor force. Well, some parents have decided to take things into their own hands. According to a study by Michigan State University, nearly one-third of more than 700 employers surveyed stated that they have received resumes from the parents of students applying for employment. "Helicopter Parents," as they have been named, are attempting to assist their children in a tough economy. What they don't realize is that they are doing their children a disservice.

Often parents are not aware of the latest employment trends, resume writing tips or strategic hiring strategies. Let's face it, today's work world is quite different than it was 20 years ago. The skills that employers seek today didn't even exist then: social media skills, technology know how and even the ability to Skype into a meeting! Although parents, mean well, they may actually do more harm to their children's success in job searching than good.

The best advice for concerned parents is this: assist your child in creating an adult network that can support their goals, make sure that your child receives the soft skills training vital to becoming employable by enrolling them in community workforce programs and let them do what they can do better than anyone - sell their skills and talents to employers who can put them on the road to success.

To read more on "helicopter parents," check out Helicopter Parents Are Leading the Job Hunt for Milliennials .

Youth Unemployment Impacts The Future Workforce - Greatly

The national youth unemployment rate is at a record low of 26%. Young people between the ages of 16-24 are missing vital opportunities to not just make extra money until they begin their "real" jobs, but they are losing critical opportunities to gain crucial work experience and enter into the workforce.

When young people are not exposed to work experiences throughout their teens and early 20's they do not learn the important work skill lessons that make them viable, reliable employees or entrepreneurs. According to Jack Wuest, executive director of Alternative Schools Network, "If they don't have jobs now, they don't know how to work, and if they don't know how to work, they're going to be much less effective and productive workers in their adult lives."

The impact of an ill-prepared workforce impacts not only the economy but the public health system, public safety and of course, the justice system. This should give us all the motivation that we need to ensure that young people receive work and work experiences. We must create, promote and encourage internships, work exploration experiences and summer/part time employment. The future of not only young people, but our very quality of life depends on the viability of our youth. Let's assure a healthy future for them.

For more information, read the entire story at: http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=154584.

Summer Employment Forecast for 2012

2010 and 2011 showed record lows for employment for youth and young adults. Youth unemployment reached World War II records of 41% in some areas of the country. When the economy is suffering, young people are the first to be shut out of employment opportunities. When this happens, the impact on future employment for young people in the workforce is exponential. From the lack of spending in the economy (young people ages 14-24 represent an enormous of percentage of consumer purchases) to the lack of skill attainment and ability to gain future employment as an adult, high rates of youth unemployment impact the entire nation.

To address this critical issue, President Obama has launched "The Summer Jobs +" program. This program is a "new call-to-action for businesses, non-profits, and government to provide pathways to employment for low-income and disconnected youth in the summer of 2012." In the midst of the congressional constipation of doing any meaningful work,  this program is the President's way of moving around this nonsense and jump-starting the employment lag. This program brings together the private and public sector to get young people working and participating in the economy.

With national employers already on-board and committed such as JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, UPS, AT&T, The Gap Inc,  Jamba Juice, and many others, this summer will prove to be much more productive for young people.

The companies who have committed to participate will do so through one of three pathways. Through:

• Life Skills Development activities (soft skills training)
• Work Skills Development activities (which include  internships, mentoring and job shadowing)
• Learn and Earn activities (on-the-job skills while earning wages

Understanding the critical importance of youth employment, we applaud the President's efforts and encourage our colleagues to get involved and hire a youth! To read more on this initiative visit: http://www.dol.gov/summerjobs/.

New Year, New Start, New You!

So much good stuff has been happening with the Hire Learning crew since we last posted! We've moved into a new location in Chicago Heights, we've re-organized our service offerings to meet the most need of our population and we've got a new and improved website launching within a week!!

The new year is a great time to re-commit to yourself and to those goals that you want to set for yourself. For young people who have the rest of their lives ahead of them, future planning is often something that goes unattended to. Well, tomorrow creeps up on us fast and before we know it, we've gone years without moving toward those things that we've said we want in life.

Well now is a great time to put a plan of action into place to reach those goals. If your goal happens to be finding a great career, Hire Learning can surely help with that! We are launching the Digital Access Program that will train students to become certified computer technicians, and place them with our corporate partners - not just in jobs, but in life-changing careers. In just 6 months, our students will go from unemployed/under-employed to trained and working in one of the most in-demand fields available - technology.

The new year is the best time to decide to move your life and career in the direction that you want it to go. Call Hire Learning today at 708-856-0623 for information on orientation days and start days!

Here's to a prosperous new year, new start and new you!!

Temps are Getting Cooler But Hire Learning is Heating Up!

Things are happening at the Hire Learning offices! As we gear up for the Fall school year, we are also gearing up new ways to promote work readiness and career planning for young people. First, our BuildingSkills Pre-Apprenticeship Program will be beginning another construction trades program. Any young people interested in the building trades unions are encouraged to apply.

This year, Hire Learning is offering Information Technology classes. These IT classes lead to nationally recognized certifications and the opportunity to be enrolled in paid internships with our corporate partners. Google, here we come!

Our Young Executives Academy (YEA!) is our entrepreneurship program. This program will teach high school students valuable business building skills with the opportunity to develop and execute a real business!

In our Media Arts Program young people will learn the video editing and production technology that will enable them to learn about careers and job opportunities and document their findings, through video and print on and in Insphire Magazine - our online magazine.

Last but not least - we are moving to a new location! You can now find us at 1010 Dixie Highway Unit 103; Chicago Heights, IL. Our new phone number is 708-856-0632.

For more information on our program offerings, see our web page or give us a call! Hire Learning Career Development Academy

But There Are No Jobs! What Teens Can Do in a Tough Job Climate

The summer job climate is tough for job searching teens this year. Northeastern University's Center for Labor Market Studies estimates that 27 percent of teens nationwide will get a summer job between June and August. That's an improvement on the dismal 25.6 percent from last year - the lowest employment numbers for teens since the 1940s.


The reality of this fact was evident when more than 200 Southland teens showed up at a job fair in May held by the Illinois Department of Employment Security and the Village of Richton Park. In addition to Hire Learning, Chase Bank, Best Buy Pace Suburban Bus Service and the Illinois Institute of Art were all in attendance and collected several resumes from attendees.


With many teens getting bumped out of positions by older adults who are also dealing with this tough economic climate and high levels of unemployment, what are their options? While many employers might not have the capital to bring on new hires, they are willing to bring in young people in an internship capacity. Not only does this provide vital job experience to teens, but it also provides the employer an opportunity to receive much needed labor that they may not be able to afford. 


The National African American Insurance Association (NAAIA) took a lead on this practice this summer. After being advised in a professional development workshop that they needed to begin to tap the talents of young people for social media marketing tasks, NAAIA decided to do just that. They implemented a summer internship for Marketing Assistants who will be placed with local participating insurance offices. Not only will this be an opportunity for teens to get valuable work experience, but it will help insurance agencies create a 21st Century mode of communicating with their customer base. 


As well, internships allow young people the opportunity to explore new industries and career opportunities that they may have known little about and create a network of adults who will be able to assist with their future career goals. According to Margaret Redd, President of NAAIA, "by working with young people in internships, we hope to introduce the insurance field to a new group of potential insurance professionals."


Although paid summer job positions may be scarce, internship opportunities abound and are beneficial to everyone involved.


For more information on the May 2011 Teen Job fair, visit: http://southtownstar.suntimes.com/news/5339394-418/toil-trouble-for-teens-job-outlook-is-grim.html

Summer Internship Programs are Kicking Into High Gear!

As summer approaches, young people all over the country will begin to look for summer jobs. If you are a high school or college student, it is important that you begin to think about work experiences that can lead to careers. There are many internship programs that are geared toward high school students and offer great networking and professional support for young employees.

Although there are some paid positions - at the time of this writing, Hire Learning is looking for soon to be high school juniors for paid Marketing Assistant Internships - many internships are not. This should not be a reason not to consider summer internships. The experience and contacts that you develop from being in professional settings with decision makers earn you more in the long run than many summer job experiences. Now, I am NOT suggesting that young people not look for paid employment - after all, I am a mom of a college aged son - but I am saying that consideration should be given to real career experiences that can pay off big for your future goals. After all, most summer jobs often do not schedule employees 5 days a week. On those days that you aren't working, consider interning and get a jump on your career options!

If you don't want to listen to me, here's more information on the importance of internships even when they are unpaid!

http://chronicle.com/article/Internships-Have-Value/127231/

Will Work for Free!

Many teen’s first work experiences are often in fast food restaurants and retail stores, and they are often able to maintain these positions throughout their high school and college years. Not only do young workers learn important work skills, but they also receive the self esteem building effects that earning your own money provides.


With the current state of our economy and the high unemployment rates that many seasoned workers are experiencing, many young people are losing the job opportunities that have traditionally been held by teens to older and more experienced unemployed workers willing to take lower paying jobs just to keep a roof over their heads. With this type of competition in the workplace, how are young people supposed to develop the skills necessary to become work ready? Well, the answer often lies in other work opportunities: Internships and Service Learning experiences.

Service learning projects and internships are two of the most important experiences that young people can undertake to move them toward work readiness. Employers regard past work experience as vitally important in predicting the workplace success of new employees. In order to get that experience, young people need employment opportunities, and service learning projects and internships provide just that.

Where can teens find these opportunities?

Many non-profit, government and for profit companies often offer unpaid work experiences that are great learning opportunities for community youth. Many community organizations are always in need of volunteers to carry out community service delivery as well as outreach and recruitment assistance. Municipal offices often welcome resident support with their community events and public education needs and often will allow reliable young people to assist in the office or with municipal sponsored special events. As well, many local communities have public access television studios that young people can not only volunteer to work in, but may also be able to learn production and editing skills. The civic leadership opportunities that young people can participate in and parlay into work skills cannot be overlooked. Many municipalities and community organizations would not only welcome, but rely on youth developed leadership councils to assist them in creating programming for their teen population.

Internship opportunities can often move young people to the front of the list of the hiring process when their required education is completed. Many employers consider internship experience of extreme importance in making hiring decisions. The skills learned while participating in an internship placement can often only be acquired while in a work experience and are a great marriage between young people’s preferences and what they are learning in school. This “test-driving” of a job provides valuable insight into an industry; allowing a young person to determine if the field is right for him/her. As well, internships allow employers to teach potential employees exactly what they want them to know – making them the perfect employee when they are ready to hire!

The best way to learn about internship opportunities is to simply ASK! Young people interested in working for a specific company should submit a Letter of Inquiry to the Human Resource department explaining why they are interested in working at the company and how this experience will benefit their future plans.

Job Boards such as Groovejob.com, snagajob.com and theinternqueen.com are great resources to research internship opportunities and company’s requirements. As well, local colleges and universities often post internship opportunities that can be viewed by anyone interested.

HIRE YOURSELF! Hire Learning's Classes are Kicking Off Now!

If you are a teen or know a teen interested in learning Technical Skills such as Graphic Design, Web Design, Video Production, Online Magazine Development or DJing, then you need to contact us because classes are beginning soon! We are looking for teens ages 14-24 who want to flex their creative muscle! Our classes are 6 - 8 weeks and taught by professionals in the field. As well, graduates will have the opportunity to get HIRED on projects that require these skills!

Web and Graphic Design graduates will have the opportunity to work on real, paid projects such as business websites, literature creation, T-Shirt designing and writing for our online magazine, Insphire Magazine! As well, our youth forums, Real Talk, will be video taped for podcasts on our website.  We will also be creating a youth run talk show that will be hosted, taped and edited by Hire Learning participants! Music will be provided by our DJ class!

As if that was not great enough, we will be offering an Entreprenuership Class - Young Executives. These students will develop a business idea, write the business plan and LAUNCH THE BUSINESS! They will be totally responsible for the business and, of course, reap the financial benefits of their efforts!

If you are interested in getting real world employment experience, develop a portfolio of work, and learn some kick-butt tech skills, run don't walk to the phone or computer and contact Hire Learning to be the first to sign up!
Meet you at the Top!

Teens at the Top!

Hire Learning Career Development Academy is sponsoring a teen event "Teens at the Top! Youth Summit on November 20th, 2010 at Prairie State University from 3pm-7pm. This summit will provide information to young people on goal planning, youth violence prevention and career options and work opportunities. As well, local organizations serving the South Suburban Cook County area will be on hand to let young people know what services are available to them and educational institutions will be providing information on higher education opportunities. There will also be lot's of entertainment and guest appearances! Additionally, we are interested in what young people have to say so there will be ample opportunity for our participants to engage us adults and tell us what we can do to help them.

This event is sure to be a great time and an opportunity to support our youth who are interested in positive activities. If you are a young person 14-24, we want to see you there! If you are an adult, come out to support our teens. If you are a youth organization or service provider, contact us to participate!

Rich Township Superintendent Brings Education into the 21st Century!

For those of us who have dedicated our work to assuring that kids get educated, we can begin to breathe a sigh of relief that the issue of education is, for the first time in decades, being taken seriously. With big names such as Oprah, Bill Gates, John Legend, Oscar® winner Davis Guggenheim and now Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg giving loud and influential voices to this issue, we down in the daily trenches are finally feeling that the troops have arrived to help us fight this war.

Their ability to get national attention to an issue that local leaders, educators and parents have long been screaming about is, unfortunately, what we needed to move the country to action. Too bad our children’s future wasn’t enough. At any rate, whatever the impetus, the spotlight is finally being shined on those who are doing a rotten job and for those movers and shakers who are making a difference.

Geoffrey Canada, President and CEO of the Harlem Children’s Zone, has become a nationally recognized face in the war against bad education. More recently, Michelle Rhee, the mover and shaker who is shaking up the entire education in our Nation’s Capital has been making headlines for her efforts toward excellence in education. Then there is our own Chicago son, Tim King, CEO of all boys charter school Urban Prep, who can tout 100% college acceptance for every graduating senior in the class of 2010. Job well done!

Well, there are many unsung heroes who fight the good fight everyday and get little or no recognition. For Rich Township District 227’s new Superintendent, Dr. Donna Simpson Leak, we are going to make sure that doesn’t happen. Dr. Leak has vowed that all students in her district will receive an excellent education and educational experience and she has put a plan of action in place that is sure to deliver the results that she expects. Stating in a recent N’Digo article that her life’s purpose is “transforming the lives of as many children as possible,” we, who have been invited to be involved in the process, tend to believe her.

From increasing the number of AP classes available to students, to encouraging parents to get Facebook pages to understand what is important to their children, to inviting the entire community – literally – to be involved in the educational process, Dr. Leak is bringing the art of educating young people into the 21^st Century! At Hire Learning, our philosophy has always contended that all community stakeholders must take ownership of educating our youth and actively participate in positive youth development and community connectedness. So to our own South Suburban trailblazer, we say “Way to take us Hire!”

Ready to Go Hire!

Welcome to the Hire Learning Career Development Academy Blog! We are a youth workforce development and exploration organization and we are about to embark on a journey of learning and fun as we explore what we can, what we want to be and how to become it!!  

In this space, we encourage all of our readers to tell us what’s on your minds. Tell us your thoughts on what youth need today to be successful and how we at Hire Learning and our community partners can provide those things. We want this space to be a place where we can all learn, share and grow as we create the communities that will support our young people to reach their highest goals. We want to make this a place where we can all share information, news, and accomplishments from and about young people, no matter where they are!

We want you to bring us your stories, tell us what’s happening in your lives and let us know what you would like to see happen I your school, community and town. Here you will be able to get information on what we’re doing at Hire Learning and what’s going on around us. And we want to know what you’re doing to reach your goals.

Let’s make everyday a purposeful day as we all move toward the lives that we imagine for ourselves!