Career Connections: Student Resources

Happenings

  • Middlesex Chamber of Commerce Career Expo

    Students in Grade 10 are invited to participate in this Career Expo which focuses on career exploration.  Over 100 business and industry partners will be on hand to share information about careers in their industry.  Permission Forms will be distributed to 10th graders during the first weeks of April.  

    Career Connections

  • Middlesex Chamber of Commerce Career Expo

    Sophomores are invited to attend the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce Career Expo at Wesleyan University.  Over 100 professionals from all career pathways will be on hand to share information about their careers/jobs, training or education required, and the job outlook.  Several of the Westbrook High School business/industry partners will be on hand.  The bus will leave the high school at 9:00 a.m. and return by 12:15 p.m.  There is no cost to attend.  Permission forms will be given to students on Monday, April 7 and must be returned by Friday, April 11 before the April break.  

    Career Connections

  • Project MFG Maritime Welding Competition and Discovery Zone

    Students from Mr. Pessoni's technology education classes will attend this welding competition and career discovery zone.  Four Westbrook High School students will represent the school in the competition.  All other participants will engage with manufacturers from the submarine industrial base to learn about career options and training possibilities beyond high school.  The bus leaves at 8:30a.m. and returns to the school at approximately 2:00p.m.

    Career Connections

  • Project MFG Welding Competition and Career Fair

    Students in Mr. Pessoni's technology education classes are invited to participate in this event.  Four students will compete in the welding competition.  All other participating students will explore the variety of career possibility for students in the trades.  Permission forms will be distributed through Mr. Pessoni's classes.  

    Career Connections
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Are you ready for career success?

Career Connections experiences offered at Westbrook High School give you the chance to:

  • think about and explore possible occupations with businesses and industries that you may not have thought about;  
  • connect classroom learning to the real world;
  • practice skills in real-world scenarios;
  • develop soft skills (professionalism, communication, teamwork and initiative);
  • observe professionals in action;
  • create a network with potential employers; and
  • develop and improve your personal professional branding.

Why bother?  Because employers are looking for experience and training.  In a recent nationwide survey of  small, medium and large companies in the public and private sectors, employers were asked about attributes that influenced their decisions to hire a job applicant.*  Did you know:

  • 82 percent of employers say that completing an internship is very or somewhat influential in their decision whether to hire an applicant?
  • 92 percent say that completing an internship in their industry was very or somewhat influential in their decision whether to hire?
  • 77 percent of employers say that holding a leadership position in school or an extracurricular organization is very or somewhat influential in their decision whether to hire an applicant?
  • 72 percent of employers say that being involved in extracurricular activities (clubs, sports, student government, etc.) in high school is very or somewhat influential in their decision whether to hire an applicant?
  • 74 percent of employers say that having a high GPA in high school is very or somewhat influential in their decision whether to hire an applicant?

Participation in Career Connections activities help you develop employability skills and attributes employers are looking for. 

Visit Ms. Carson to learn about opportunities to participate in:

  • internships
  • job shadowing
  • industry/business informational panels
  • mock interview workshops
  • resume feedback forums

Ms. Carson can also help you learn about career pathways available to you.  She can help you find business and community mentors for your senior project or your community service graduation requirements.   

*Visions of the Future, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Research Findings, 2019.

Job Board

 

 From time to time, employers contact Westbrook High school with opportunities for employment.  Stop in to see Ms. Carson with questions you may have.  Check back often, as this list will be updated when new opportunities come up.  Here is the most recent list of opportunities:

 

  • Looking for a babysitting position?  A local resident is seeking a part time babysitter for one to three afternoons per week for three hours each of the days.  This position is ideal for a senior with a study hall who is able to leave school during the last period of the day.  The position is open beginning after spring break until the end of the school year with the potential of occasional summer employment.  Please see Ms. Carson for further details.
  • Killingworth True Value is hiring for part-time student associates who can provide customers with excellent service.  You must be able to work after school one or two days and work at least one weekend day for a total of 12 to 16 hours per week.  Heavy lifting is required.  This is a year-round position.  You must be 16 years old to apply.  Applications are available at the front registers or online at www.killingworthtruevalue.com.  Pay is $16.00 per hour.  
  • Shayna B's By the Sea is looking for a part time front of the house worker to answer phones, take orders, handle cash, bagging up cookie orders, etc.  The restaurant is at 631 Boston Post Road in Westbrook.  If  you are interested, please call 860-339-3144 and ask for Shayna.  If  you are an interested senior interested in pursuing a career in hospital and tourism/culinary, this could work into a paid internship for your Senior Project Seminar Class.  Talk to Ms. Carson about the internship thing, but call the restaurant directly if you are interested in employment.
  • The Ivoryton Tavern is looking for kitchen help.  The Tavern is  under new ownership.  Some of you met Mr. Shane during our advisory lessons on business ethics.  He has just purchased the Tavern and spend some time renovating.  See Ms. Carson for more information.
  • Seeking an occasional babysitter.  Mr. Kevin Pryor, a local Westbrook resident, is seeking babysitters for his 11 year old granddaughter who lives with he and his wife.  If you are interested in babysitting, please call Mr. Pryor at 203-922-2161.  
  • Goodwill Southern New England is hiring.  You may have met Ms. Baptie, HR Specialist for Goodwill, in the cafeteria during this past school year.  The Clinton Goodwill store is hiring.  Apply at www.goodwillsne.org. 
  • Shop Rite is seeking part time afternoon workers.  They will work with your schedule and are very flexible even if you can only work two days a week.  Stop by the store in Clinton and ask for the manager, or apply online.
  • Masonicare at Chester Village in Chester seeks to hire Westbrook students for several wait staff positions at their independent senior living community.  If you are 16 yrs old or older you may apply for positions in their dining rom, bistro, and kitchen.  You can go to Masonicare at anytime to hear about the Masonicare community and the opportunities available.  This community is a wonderful and rewarding first job for young people as they gain experience on every level; teamwork, social, generational and business while being in a very supportive environment.  Masonicare appreciates all of the students at WHS who have worked there in the past and throughout their college years as it has been a wonderful experience for both the Masonicare staff and the residents they serve. They offer a scholarship program for students who work at least 200 hours within a year.  They look forward to meeting new students !
  • Essex Meadows is hiring part time servers and bussers for their dining room and for their nursing home.  You must be 16 years old to apply.  The pay rate is $17.16 per hour, and there are opportunities for scholarships if you plan to attend college after high school.  Stop by Essex Meadows office for an application, or email the Human Resources Director, Ms. Michelle Davis, at davism@essexmeadows.com.  

Tidbits of Useful Information

  • Click here to watch the recording of the Advanced Manufacturing Industry Panel.  Westbrook Career Connections, Junior Achievement and the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce Virtual Career Fair collaborated to produce a virtual Advanced Manufacturing Industry Panel.  Watch the recording to hear some wonderful advice from leading manufacturers in the Westbrook area.  They provide excellent advice and share opportunities for employment.   Participants included Bo Bradstreet, moderator, Executive Recruiter and Consultant, Bohan and Bradstreet; Oliver Bausch, President and Owner, Bausch Technologies; Jeff Dickey, Executive Vice President of Hydraulics, The Lee Company; Bill Neale, Director of Operations (retired) Radiall USA; and, Christopher Heyl, Vice President of Operations, CiDRA.  
  • Click here to watch the recording of the Government Employees Industry Panel.  Westbrook Career Connections, Junior Achievement and the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce Virtual Career Fair collaborated to produce this virtual Industry Panel.  Panelists provide excellent advice and share opportunities for employment.  Participants represented the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the CT Judicial Branch, and the CT Department of Public Health.  The panel was moderated by Sumayya Ayoub, Senior Education Manager at Junior Achievement.  
  • Discover Healthcare Administration is a website loaded with information about joining the world of Healthcare Administration.  If you are interested in the health sciences but don't want to be a doctor or a nurse, healthcare administration is a great choice for you.  This site tells you more about the work, the types of careers available the the college degree requirements .  See the Student Resources below for the link to the website.
  • University HQ is a website that offers information about careers, requirements for careers, and the best colleges and universities to pursue postsecondary studies in those fields.  Rankings are based upon retention rate, graduation rate, admission rates, cost of tuition, graduating salaries, number of programs offered, online programs offered, load default rate, diplomas awarded, and percentage of students receiving financial aid.  The site also informs you about the types of jobs that are available and the growth rate for those jobs in addition to how much salary you can expect to make.  If you are not sure about your future career right now, this is a great resource for you.   See the Student Resources below for the link to the website.  
  • Tips for Virtual Interviewing provides tips for success when you are scheduled for a virtual job interview.  The tips are also useful for virtual college interviews.  See Student Resources.
  • Click here  to watch the recording of the Sports and Sports Entertainment Industry panel held in spring 2020.  Professionals from the industry described their occupations and career journeys and gave students some important tips for career success.  
  • Preparing for Employment is a resource that helps prepare students interested in going to work.  It provides students with information about the jobs prohibited for minors, minimum wage requirements for minors, allowable work hours, and how to obtain "working papers" required prior to beginning work.  See Student Resources.  
  • Youth@Work Safety Training  is a two-part virtual safety training required for all Westbrook High School students interested in participating in an unpaid internship.  See the Student Resources below to access Part I and Part II, as well as a Youth@Work handout.  Both are narrated PowerPoint presentations which take approximately 30 minutes each.  Information about completing the safety training assessment is provided at the end of Part II and much be completed prior to beginning the unpaid internship.   
  • Developing a Compelling Resume is a resource to provide support for students and their parents who want to develop or improve their professional brand.  The resource is written with the student in mind, but many of the tips in the resource are useful to adults who are considering changing their current employment and need tips for writing a compelling resume that gets the attention of hiring managers.  See Student Resources.  
  • Consider an apprenticeship in the building trades as a post high school education option.  Apprenticeships offer tuition-free training, and you get to earn while you learn on the job.    Click here for information about apprenticeships in the construction trades (electricians, brick masons, carpenters, construction workers, boilermakers, painters, pipelayers, etc.).
  • Click here for a video of the Medical/Health Industry Panel discussion on December 10, 2019.  Professionals from the industry described their occupations and their career journeys.  Learn what you can do in high school to be successful in the field.  
  • Career/Job Shadow Experience:   Westbrook High School recommends that students participate in career or job shadowing experiences throughout high school so that you can learn about industries and occupations.   Career/Job Shadow experiences happen during the school day.  Students in Grades 9 through 11 are invited to participate in an annual school-sponsored grade-level job shadow experience, but you are also encouraged to shadow independently.  You are excused from classes to participate but you must see Ms. Carson to gain necessary permissions to miss classes.  If you are interested in participating in a Career/Job Shadow Experience,  see Ms. Carson in the Guidance Office.   

Student Resources