In The Community
Wake Invests in Women Seeks Students for Career Mentoring Program
RALEIGH, N.C. (August 22, 2023) – Wake Invests in Women is seeking student participants for its 2023-24 Career Guides Mentor Program.
The program connects Wake Tech students with experienced professionals, or career guides, for one-on-one mentoring to jump-start their careers and enhance their leadership skills. Career guides demonstrate successful leadership qualities and represent professionals of all genders and experience levels.
The program launched last year with 50 students and mentors from health care, technology, pharmaceutical, engineering, computer software and software development careers. It's open to all Wake Tech students with a focus on female-identified/gender-non-conforming students and Black/Latina women. Selected students are paired with a career mentor, and the two work together from October to April to set goals for professional growth, build confidence through professional networking and develop career soft skills such as communication and critical thinking.
Angelina Yang is an Associate in Engineering and Associate in Science degree student who participated in Career Guides last year. After Wake Tech, she hopes to transfer and earn her bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering.
"The program was very helpful for me," Yang said. "In addition to networking skills, I learned a lot from my mentor about job preparedness, what to know prior to a job interview and what questions to ask during an interview. It was also nice to meet and be around other students in the program to talk through our experiences. Learning their stories, understanding where they came from and how they got to where they are was very inspiring."
Yang is also president of the college's Phi Theta Kappa chapter honor society for the 2023-24 academic year. She said her mentor gave her suggestions and feedback on her campaign and speech.
"The program really helped students understand the importance of taking initiative to seek opportunities and helped us put our best foot forward," she said.
Dr. Kasey Ashton, executive director of Wake Invests in Women, said Career Guides is a win-win for both student participants and professional mentors.
"This program offers personal and professional benefits for both the mentees and the mentors," Ashton said. "Students get the opportunity to connect with career professionals in the Wake County and Triangle region to enhance their professional network and leadership development and mentors meanwhile add to their qualifications and get the rewarding opportunity of helping students grow and reach their professional goals."
Learn more about the Career Guides program requirements and expectations at wakeinvestsinwomen.waketech.edu. Interested students and mentors can apply through August 31. Participants will be selected in early September, and a virtual orientation will be held later in the month.
Wake Invests in Women is a collaboration among Wake County, Wake Tech and a cross-section of business and community leaders working to achieve pay equity for women working in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields and to increase the number of women, particularly Black and Latina women, in the pipeline for these higher-wage, higher-demand jobs.
