2 The Top aims presentation at Millenials

            Before attending the career fair, Sigourney Jr/Sr High students learned what it takes to get a job after graduation when Cassandra Halls from 2 The Top held a presentation in the main gym on Wednesday, Dec. 14.

            Halls and her company, which she created in 2009, talk with people about workforce development and do presentations across Iowa. She covered the term “Millenial”, which is the generation born between 1980 and 1999, that covers a majority of upperclassmen at Sigourney. While defining Millenials, Halls talked about the strengths and weaknesses of this generation in the workplace, and how they should prepare for an interview. To help with simulating an interview, Halls brought in her beloved dog, Duke, to act as employer as one lucky student pretended he was looking for a job. Duke is a “successful career dog” who has been offered several jobs in his days.

            “I found in talking with folks about workforce development that when you really put into detail what they need to do to be successful, sometimes it’s really overwhelming,” Halls said. “Where Duke is such an asset, particularly at high schools, is that he makes activities fun and doable. Even just being part of things, he is someone for the kids to talk to as an interesting approach about how to get a job.”

            Duke was incorporated into the presentation five years ago, which led to more success with the presentations. Students eagerly petted Duke, who wandered the stands looking for leftover popcorn. Volunteers during the presentation got to feed Duke as well. All the while, Halls used the attention to cover topics such as education, jobs, and kept students engaged with questions about their experiences in the classroom and in the workplace.

            “The responses from schools are great,” Halls said. “We hear students say ‘I didn’t think about that’ or  ‘I’m glad you mentioned that’. When they realize a dog can get a job, that boosts their confidence when they face obstacles.”

            While the presentation was meant to be fun and engaging, Halls also wanted students to understand that many decisions they make now will impact them later, and that there is no such things as too early to prepare for their futures.

            “Students need to understand that they are going to be the biggest part of our workforce in just a few years, and there are specific things they need to do in order to be competitive,” Halls said. “Every choice they make today contributes to what their future looks like. Whether it be their education, volunteering, being a part of team, building those work-experience skills will help them make them competitive in the future.”

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