Every Kentuckiana employer has frustrating stories to tell about young job candidates and new hires who just don’t understand how to function in the workplace.  We’ve learned that we can’t assume that a new hire knows how to land and keep a job.  Not only do employers waste vast amounts of money hiring and training, but the lack of soft skills could cause a young person to lose a valuable employment opportunity.  Even more serious, after a failed employment experience, that young person could end up disengaged and disconnected from society, lacking the motivation and confidence to gain long-term employment that offers a living wage.

Powered by Junior Achievement’s JA Personal Success program, Let’s Get to Work is a partnership between Jefferson County Public Schools, KentuckianaWorks, JA and the business community. Our goal is to prepare students for the job market by helping them develop the personal success skills they need to help them land and keep jobs. Through business volunteers leading JA Personal Success, Jefferson County Public Schools’ Academies of Louisville 11th-grade students will have the chance to be mentored by caring business volunteers who will help them learn:

· How to research potential employment opportunities and ensure that they are a good fit

· How to communicate effectively with a prospective employer

· How to prepare for a job interview

· The top 10 characteristics wanted by employers in new hires

At the end of the program, each student will have a one-on-one mock interview with a volunteer.

We recognize that we need to act now to give our young people the knowledge they need for employment success. We can no longer just hope that young people “get it at home.” We need the help of the entire business community, all who have a stake in our youth’s success. So, let’s get to work now to help our youth get to work!