One of the goals of students who go through a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program is to end up with a good, well-paying job. Along with the technical skills the students learn in CTE, it is important for them to develop the soft skills, like interviewing, to get them in the door. The Allegan Area Tech Center is embarking on a new initiative to help students develop those skills.

During the week of March 20, community members, business partners and Allegan Area ESA office staff will be conducting mock interviews with the students. All 611 students will be taking part.

“Our goal was to ensure each student experiences a job interview,” said Tech Center Director Rich Okoniewski. “Gaining invaluable interview skills will allow our students to be fully prepared for their post-secondary career plans. Practicing interpersonal skills is an opportunity for our students to gain instant feedback on their performance from people who have experience interviewing.”

The mock interviews will take place during normal Tech Center class hours and will last about 15 minutes for each student. In addition to helping the students prepare for the job market, this provides an excellent opportunity to showcase the Tech Center’s partnerships with local employers and industry partners.