Teenagers in Glendale will soon be turning their backpacks into briefcases with the help of ASU West campus students.
Students from either the College of Tourism and Recreation or the Communication Assessment Learning Lab will be training students ages 13-18 to help prepare them for the challenges of finding a job.
CALL is a group of undergraduate students who have been trained in assisting with public speaking, said Matthew Star, student director for CALL.
The program "Backpack to Briefcase" will consist of four classes, each two hours long, and will cover topics such as resume building, how to dress for an interview and how to build a network, according to the CALL Web site.
"There are so many areas that impact a youth's first job search," said Meg McConnaughy, director of ASU's CALL program at the West campus. "We take a step-by-step approach and touch on subjects and instances that can make or break the successful pursuit of employment."
The idea behind the program is to reach out to those students and teens who wish to better understand what it means to have a job and what steps are necessary to find that job, McConnaughy added.
"My hope is that first the teens will have a better understanding of themselves, and then understand that they have value and are making important contributions to the work force," McConnaughy said.
With help from the city of Glendale, ASU student mentors from CALL will lead the seminars and pass along the experience they have gained in their own search for jobs, according to the CALL Web site.
McConnaughy said she hopes that the mentors can help the students understand the intricacies of adult life.
The career camps are $25-$30. The first session will start on Feb. 25 and finish on March 5 and the second session will take place Feb. 26 through March 6.
The Teen Career Camp is held at the Foothills Recreation and Aquatics Center located at 5600 W. Union Hills Drive in Glendale.
Reach the reporter at: ktomlins@asu.edu.
