A program of the San Diego Workforce Partnership, CONNECT2Careers (C2C) helps young adults secure employment using an online portal listing thousands of local job and internship opportunities. The program also provides in-person training opportunities to help young people build their résumés, practice elevator pitches, prepare for interviews and learn about the local labor market.

Pamela first heard about C2C when a C2C training specialist came to her high school class to teach students how to answer interview questions and build their résumé. She was immediately drawn to the program because of the C2C team’s enthusiasm and knowledge about helping young people like her gain work experience, a goal she hoped to reach in the near future.

Pamela’s journey with C2C quickly led her to the School Break Externship program. Pamela was accepted into the 2016-2017 cohort and completed two externships—one at her first-choice company, the San Diego Airport Authority and another at IDW Comic Book Publishing. Through each experience, Pamela learned about working in different professional environments, job shadowed a variety of positions and gained hands-on experience with day-to-day work tasks.

“I am very grateful to CONNECT2Careers and the San Diego Workforce Partnership for this opportunity to earn money while gaining invaluable experience in the industries I am interested and passionate in,” Pamela said.

In her externship, Pamela was placed in the Human Resources Department at the San Diego Airport Authority. There she was given the opportunity to shadow human resources employees during the interview process, file documents, go to meetings and experience the work environment in Terminal 2.

Pamela was inspired to work even harder. “I discovered that one of my dream jobs in the future is to work at the San Diego Airport Authority as an Environmental Planner," she said. 

Pamela originally set out to find employment to help pay for college, taking some of the burden off her father, who works two jobs to support his family. Along with saving for school, she also hoped to save money for travel. But Pamela accomplished so much more throughout her experience as an extern. She gained many skills, such as how to work in a professional environment and how to talk about the skills and experience she has to offer.

Pamela’s post-high school goal is now to go to college and earn a degree in Urban Regional Planning to help create communities, cities and airports. Her externship experience also sparked a passion in her to travel and experience new cultures, while pursuing her career passions on a global scale.

Learn more about CONNECT2Careers at c2csd.org.

Article submitted by Briana Brevill and Stephen Colon of the San Diego Workforce Partnership.