CHECK OUT THIS BLOG POST FROM SUMMER INTERN KHARMA HILLIAN!
Imagine being a rising high school student with no clue about budgeting, saving, investing or even credit cards. Now Imagine being a high school senior, like me, who up until a couple weeks ago felt clueless about the endless possibilities and opportunities that were waiting for me after high school.
My name is Kharma Hillian and this summer I participated in PYN's summer jobs program, WorkReady BOOST where I worked as a part of an amazing team of interns in PYN's Communications and Social Media department. My job as a communications intern at the Philadelphia Youth Network has not only helped me significantly in determining my ideal career path after graduation but has also given me access to resources and educational support that I can use long after my time at the program.
As a part of the program, PYN hosts weekly professional development sessions every Friday designed to provide youth like me with financial know-how and career insights. One of the most memorable moments of the summer was when a speaker from Citizens Bank came and taught us the importance of budgeting and how beneficial it can be for us for the future.
I’ll have to admit, initially, I was not pleased with the idea of having to attend the required professional development sessions every Friday morning but after warming up to it I'd have to say that quickly it became a fun part of my summer routine, and something I looked forward to. I enjoyed the many presentations put together by the team coaches designed to teach us about the appropriate and inappropriate ways to dress at our internships and all the ways we can perform our best.
PYN is helping youth by giving us the support needed to step confidently into adulthood with the skills and knowledge we need to succeed. From learning how to manage a budget to understanding the ins and outs of credit and debit cards, these sessions are turning my financial confusion into financial confidence.
What I enjoy most about the PYN professional development sessions is that they are more than just educational experiences. From the first day, the team coaches at PYN were extremely welcoming and found ways to make Professional development enjoyable for us by playing games and getting to know us.
Through engaging activities, workshops, and interactive sessions, we are not just passive listeners but active participants. I love that there is lots of room for discussion in our professional development sessions, not only room for us to talk about our own experiences and work at our own worksites but we are constantly checked on by the team coaches who makes sure that our internships are enjoyable for us and fulfilling our needs. At the end of the day, professional development sessions at PYN aren’t just about theoretical knowledge; it’s about hands-on, real-world learning and preparing Philadelphia youth for a life after high school and entering the real world.
One lesson I will never forget from attending PYN’s professional development sessions is the lesson on career success and how success looks different for everyone. We learned about the different ways people can find happiness and fulfillment in their careers even if the path they are following isn’t what they initially planned. This lesson has taught me that all post-secondary paths are important no matter how big or small they are. This consoled me as a rising senior and eased the stress when thinking about my path after high school. One of the main things I was able to take away was that success can look like many things at once, that's why it's important to not compare where you are in life to where others are because every path is different.
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