Commentary
Do You LOVE to Go To Work
in the Morning?
The other day I was riding in a shuttle van when the driver of the van, a 20-something young man, asked me what I did for a living. I told him that I was the Executive Director of a non-profit organization that helped students identify career options and provided connections to the business community to educators. He seemed interested and asked me what job he could get that would pay a lot of money. This is a common question that needs to be put into a different context. I asked him, "What do you like to do and what do you think you can do to advance in that area to maximize the amount of money you can make at the same time."
How many of you have friends who retire from a long-term career and begin exploring the job market to find a career that really interests them? Or, they find a new career that they wish they had chosen when they were younger? Let's make a commitment to learn from the experience of those who chose their career (or simply ended up in their career) without considering their interests and PASSIONS.
Recently, we held a Career Exploration Program about Careers in Sports. How many young people are passionate about sports but don't have the skills or talent to be an athlete? They may be creative and outgoing and would find fulfillment and success in working in the marketing department for a sports team. Perhaps they have an interest in helping people and would make a terrific trainer or sports therapist. What about the person who has a passion for sports and the skills to be a lawyer who becomes a contract manager for athletes?
It is up to us, the counselors, teachers and the business community, to help the students explore their interests and passions and align them with their skills and aptitudes. We need to help students make the connections to a career they will love going to each morning - so that they won't have to wait until they are in their 50's or 60's to start their dream.
Careers by Choice, Not Chance
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 If you are interested in supporting Vital Link through an in-kind donation, the organization is currently looking for the following items:
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Get Involved and Help Students Connect to Their Future
You can be a part of the Vital Link vision of providing students with career exploration experiences that will help them identify their abilities, aptitudes and passions with a career pathway they can pursue. We need individuals who are interested in helping us Connect Students to Their Future.
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Help plan our exciting Career Exploration Programs
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Use your creative skills to promote the programs
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Develop new Career Exploration curriculum
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Raise funding to support our innovative programs
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Join the Career Exploration Center design team
Contact the Vital Link office at 949-646-2520 or e-mail kathy@vitallinkoc.org if you are interested in becoming an event volunteer or joining a committee.
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Students said WOW at the
Work on Wheels Event
Have you ever had an opportunity to see the inside of the Homeland Security Emergency Central mobile unit, try your skills in operating heavy equipment in a simulator, watch a bomb squad robot in operation, or look under the hood of a race car? Over 800 attendees from around Orange County experienced a WOW event they will remember for a long time. Educators and students met with industry representatives who provided close-up experiences with their vehicles at the Orange County Fair and Exposition Center on February 27th.
 Many industries were represented at the event including Public Safety, Construction, Automotive, Military, Distribution, Public Works and Utility companies. Each industry highlighted the their career options through interactive exhibits and presentations. Colleges and ROP representatives provided information to help students pursue their career choice.
Event sponsors, the Port of Long Beach, CHOC, and The Gas Company supported the annual event that provides students with a unique experience and a broad range of career options to consider.
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Love Sports But You're Not an Athlete?
Students came to the Newport Sports Museum to learn about careers, (other than being an athlete) in the Sports Industry. Sports training, management and broadcasting were highlighted by representatives from the Lakers, Angels, USC and others who shared their career path in an industry they love.
The Sports Museum was the ideal location to host the event and show off their collection of sports memorabilia. Over 175 students engaged the business representatives in a question and answer session after presentations about the career path into an exciting industry. Representatives from Colleges and ROP programs provided information on programs to help students pursue their career.
The partnership between Vital Link and the Newport Sports Museum is an opportunity for students to explore careers and make connections with the local teams. If you would like more information about the Newport Sports Museum, please contact Amy Falcone at 949-721-9333 or Amy@NewportSportsMuseum.org
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| Participate in Our Monthly Survey
In each newsletter, Vital Link will ask a few questions of our education and business supporters. Your input will be tabulated and reported in the next month's newsletter. The information we gather will help us support the connection between educators and business, and will ultimately, help students make the link between what they learn in school and the skills they need to be successful in life. Please take two minutes to answer the questions in our Career Connections Survey.
Educator Survey Business Survey
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Vital Link, a non-profit organization, provides creative and professional programs that focus on leading edge job skills and job development curriculum. We reach over 25,000 students each year through the Career Awareness programs, support services, and use of the Vital Link curriculum. Encouraging students to make the connection between their education and their future career path is foundational to Vital Link and will impact lives today and in the future.
Contact us: Vital Link
P.O. Box 12064
Costa Mesa, California 92627
(949) 646-2520 Phone
(949) 646-2523 Fax
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