Today we’re celebrating CareerVillage volunteers working at AIG, who in just a few short weeks collectively reached and impacted over 3,800 young people with inspirational career advice.
Last month, several groups of AIG employees got together in their New Jersey office and answered career questions from high school students about everything from what college courses to take to achieve a certain career goal, to what it’s like to be them on an average day in their jobs. Amy, a rising high school senior in Plano, TX asked:
Which business undergraduate degrees gives the most choices for careers after graduation?
Tony Angino, Director of Corporate Strategy and Organizational Design at AIG, responded with great detail, giving Amy a break down of his thoughts on the subject. He said:
Finance or accounting are widely understood by hiring managers and will give you the broadest knowledge of core business concepts. View the major you choose as an opportunity for you to explore areas of business that interest you.
He went on to recommend Amy attend career fairs and meet-and-greets on campus, and to put effort into getting to know and make an impression on the recruiters there. He added a helpful last tip, saying:
If you have to choose between a higher GPA or a double major, go for the higher GPA (to view Tony’s full response, click here)
It is because of answers like Tony’s that students are able to get insight into careers that interest them, and genuine, personalized advice that they can use to navigate their future. On CareerVillage.org, young people have a place to go to hear from actual people who have once been in their shoes, and who live and breathe the jobs these students want to do one day. We’re transforming the way kids prepare for the world of work, stepping outside of the inconsistent, ambiguous, and oftentimes unhelpful “Google search”, and instead giving them access to experienced, successful, and caring professionals like Tony.
Underwriter Karen Renaud’s responses to just seven questions have been read by over 600 students to date. That’s incredible! Even more exciting, though, is that pieces of advice like Karen’s are accessible to every young person who has access to the internet, so her advice continues to reach and impact more students with each passing day.
CareerVillage partners with schools and other educational programs across the globe to give students access to the platform in class. Just as AIG volunteers were answering questions, students participating in the YCD Summer program at Mission, Galileo, Lincoln, and High Schools in San Francisco, CA were asking them.
Eily, a sophomore at Mission High School said:
After using CareerVillage, I became more intrigued with certain careers. CareerVillage made it possible for me to learn a lot more about jobs I’ve been interested in, and even opened my eyes to a ton of other career options I have.
The power that just a few sentences from an adult can have on a young person is truly unquantifiable. These words can make all the difference when it comes to influencing the mindsets of our next generation.
When we speak with students using CareerVillage to get advice from professionals, we hear that they’re more confident in their ability to accomplish their goals, like getting into college and landing their dream job. Kids are also doing better in class, getting more involved in activities in and out of school, and being proactive in planning out their future. Students get inspired everyday on CareerVillage, not just because they’re getting the information they’ve asked for from actual people, but because they’re getting the encouragement from adults that they oftentimes aren’t getting at home and are unable to get at school.
With the support of companies like AIG, we are able to continue to achieve our mission of bettering the lives of disadvantaged youth, getting them college and career ready through the help, experiences, and skills of our volunteer corps. We’re working hard alongside our volunteers to build a strong, supportive, and successful community. It is true what they say, after all, it takes a village to raise a child!