After an enthusiastic welcome from our staff, a few meet-your-neighbor exercises, and a program orientation, the ice was broken at the first Skills That Shine Mentorship Program kick-off in early November, where many first-generation college students met the first mentor they’ve ever had—a professional who is in their field of interest.
In total, nearly 200 professionals across the state have signed up to participate in the mentorship-focused program designed by our team at the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (WSOS), a public-private partnership between the State and private business, which helps more local low-income and underrepresented students to pursue high-demand degrees in STEM and health care and launch their careers here at home.
Over half of WSOS Scholars are students of color, almost 60 percent are first-generation college students and 57 percent of Scholars are female.
Skills That Shine is the latest professional development opportunity we offer. It focuses on engaging, guiding and inspiring our students to succeed academically and launch professionally by connecting them with professionals who can help them sharpen skills and better understand career paths and opportunities.
We know there are a variety of reasons students drop out or become disengaged in school.
Only 11 percent of first-generation, low-income college students graduate with a four-year degree and first-generation students are twice as likely to drop out of school compared to those with those whose parents who graduated from college, according to research from the Pell Institute.
For many students already facing barriers to success in high-demand careers, connecting to the industry and professionals in their field of study is key.
Through Skills That Shine, we match WSOS Scholars one-to-one with a professional with expertise in their field of interest. Scholars access interactive video content developed by the Boston Consulting Group on networking, resumes, interviewing and more, then complete exercises and receive individualized feedback and engagement from their mentor.
We are eager to see our students’ skills and confidence grow with the help of their mentors throughout the year and believe this investment in students is powerful, critical and beneficial for all Washingtonians.
Currently, under the unique legislation that governs WSOS, the State matches dollar-for-dollar all funding we raise from the private sector, amplifying both time and funding invested in the program. This is especially true right now during GeekWire’s Geeks Give Back, in partnership with Bank of America, since donations to WSOS are quadrupled.
We know the impact we can have by removing barriers to students’ professional success. We see it in the students who light up with their mentor, land their first internship and make their way on a trajectory that may have otherwise remained out of reach. We see it in our more than 2,100 graduates!
It’s critical for industry—both employers and professionals— to continue to invest dollars, time and expertise in our future employees, so we can grow the robust homegrown workforce that will help keep Washington’s innovation economy strong and vibrant for years to come.
We hope you’ll join in.