SCVi Learners Shine at Valley Industry Association’s Connecting to Success Event
SCVi juniors and seniors joined students from Golden Valley and Castaic high schools at College of the Canyons on Friday, November 7, for the Valley Industry Association’s Connecting to Success event.
The Day’s Agenda
The day began in the main theater with an introduction from Corey Curties, a personal development coach and motivational speaker.
Students then attended workshops discussing the following topics:
- Building an Image
- Crafting Professional Communication
- Money Smarts
Takeaways
The day concluded with a Money Smarts Jeopardy Game and a Panel Discussion featuring:
- Professor Theresa Ciardi (Aerospace/Physics, COC)
- Jamie Lyon (Owner, Intertex General Contractors)
- Celina Thomas (HR Leader, Owner, 6 Degrees HR company)
Workshop Highlights & Praise
The three industry presenters in the workshop with our SCVi learners were very impressed.
One has been presenting for students for 15 years and said our kids were the top three of all time in terms of engagement, participation, and behavior.
Another said our kids were the best group she had ever worked with!
We are so proud of them!
Key Takeaways for Success
- Growth Mindset & Risk-Taking
- Most of us like to stay in our comfort zones, but to be successful, we need to take risks and move out of our comfort zones. This is what it means to have a growth mindset.
- The Importance of a First Impression
- Navigating Communication: Initial perception, professionalism, cultural fit, confidence/competence.
- Presentation Matters: Clothing shapes your identity. Employers may associate your appearance with qualities like judgement, maturity, and ability to adapt.
- Social Media & Employment
- Ask Yourself: Does my social media help or hurt my profile?
- Seventy percent of employers research social media on applicants. Of those, more than half have rejected someone based on what they found!
- Communication Is Key!
- Verbal: Oral, written, email, text, phone, social media, formal/informal.
- Nonverbal: Body language, facial expressions, eye contact, appearance, proximity, posture, gestures, and para-language (tone, pitch).
- Remember: It is not what you say but how you say it!
- Formula For Success: ABCs
- Appearance
- Behavior
- Communication
We extend a huge thank-you to all the industry experts and speakers—including Corey Curties, Professor Ciardi, Jamie Lyon, and Celina Thomas—for dedicating their time to inspire and educate our high schoolers. We also sincerely thank the Valley Industry Association (VIA) for hosting this essential “Connecting to Success” event, which provides invaluable, real-world experience for our future leaders.
