On Tuesday, Nov. 18, the Center for Career & Professional Readiness will be hosting an open house from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in RJF Hall, room 215, to share the services they provide for Grand Rapids Community College students and alumni. Cider and donuts will be provided.
The center will assist with resumes, cover letters, and interviews. Additionally, they will also bring employers onto campus who are interested in recruiting students and will work closely with those employers to make connections with faculty and students.
For Director of the Career & Professional Readiness Center Luanne Wedge, bringing a service like this for students, alumni, and faculty reflects the importance of professional readiness for those looking to join the workforce during or after their academic careers.
“This is the first time we’ve had an actual centralized service here at the college,” Wedge said. “This is really important for our students to have a one-stop place to go so we can assist them and provide these services to the students, and get them the right information, and give them the resources that they need.”
For students, being prepared before joining the workforce is a pivotal step when looking for employment. This center is looking to help students achieve that, so that when they’re ready, they’ll have all the tools they need to be strong candidates for employers.
“Our students need these services; they need to be professionally ready to be able to be successful in the workplace and be ready for employment,” Wedge said.
With time comes a lot of change, and that includes changes in what employers are looking for in potential candidates. Wedge has noticed more of an increase in one particular area that employers really look for in employees.
“The soft skills and those professional readiness skills are things that they are looking for,” Wedge said. “Yes, they are looking for the skills and knowledge and all of those things, but they are really looking for those soft skills. So we want to help prepare students with those skills so they can be successful.”
Soft skills are personal attributes and non-technical abilities that influence how you interact with others. Such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.
The Center for Career and Professional Readiness is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Appointments for interviewing, resume, and cover letter help can also be made online through Navigate in GRCC’s Online Center.
