Andy Close
WARREN, Pa. – It may be titled “Mock Interview Day,” but students at the Warren County Career Center got plenty of real-world experience with the event.
Businesses and organizations throughout the area took part in the event at WCCS on May 17, giving students the opportunity to go through what an actual professional interview will be like.
“It’s great that our seniors get this experience,” said Cathie Cummings, marketing teacher at the Career Center.
Cummings also serves as the advisor of both DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) and FBLA (Future Bussiness Leaders of America) at the Career Center.
“It’s not just the interview itself, it’s resumes and cover letters before the interview,” Cummings said. “Students are taught about professional dress and things like that, essentially all the skills that you need.”
And it’s a day that is mutually beneficial for students and interviewers alike.
“The interviewers are great at giving them feedback,” Cummings said. “Both what they did well and what they need to improve on.”
Businesses and organizations taking part in the event included: Betts – Ryan Betts, Mike Bonavita, Steve Courson, Andy Hanks, Patrick Lund, Bill Anthony; Community Foundation of Warren County – Robert Kaemmerer ; Ellwood National Forge – Laura Hyde, Chad Johnson; Ellwood National Crankshaft – Mike Ciprich, Tyler Kasunich ; Hi-Ed – Jenny Burroughs ; John Anderson Construction – Dick Balas, Kirk Guiher ; Jones Chevrolet – Scott Dyke ; PennDot – Adam Hoisington ; Pitt Bradford – William Clark ; Warren General Hospital – Penny Jensen; Warren Manor – Debbie Labesky; WCCBI – John Papalia – WCVB – Casey Ferry ; Nutrition Inc – Scott Johnson
“It’s a really neat day and the community supports us so much with it,” Cummings said. “When we go into it, it’s for the students to practice, but some of them actually get offers out of it, whether it’s summer help or something like that, so the kids get a lot out of it.”
And as Cummings said, they learn a lot.
“A lot of my students didn’t realize how important the resumes were,” Cummings said. ‘“It’s so neat to see what the kids say about it. And we really had an amazing group of people this year.”
