PWA offers on-campus opportunities for students to gain career skills throughout the school year. These include resume and essay writing workshops, mock interviews, classroom speakers, and more.
Did you know?
These events are made possible by our amazing volunteers who take time to give back to students. They bring a piece of their world to students. By doing so, they make the world of possibilities for those students a little bigger.
Will you join them?
PWA works year-round to recruit HR volunteers and facilitate mock interviews and resume workshops at Portland-area high schools, working in close partnership with the Portland HR Management Association.
Please contact us if you'd like to learn more about year-round volunteering options for you or your colleagues, or be added to the volunteer list to receive opportunities straight your inbox.
Mock Interviews (On-Campus)
These volunteers offer positive, constructive feedback that will help students for their next “real” interview for a job or college admission. We are held on-campus and at our annual NW Youth Careers Expo.
Visit the Expo Mock Interviews page for more resources such as if you would be willing to conduct practice interviews with high school students to help them prepare for the real thing Students benefit from positive, constructive feedback about their resume and presentation skills.
Where mock interviews take place: While it varies by school, mocks are typically held in the school library or cafeteria, with each volunteer at their own table.
About resumes: Students are encouraged to bring resumes to their interviews.
How to prepare: View tips on our Mock Interview page or download our Job Interviewing Packet created with our expert partners at PHRMA.
Who can volunteer: Caring adults who are excellent listeners and have personal experience being interviewed or interviewing someone else. Bilingual skills are a plus.
College Essay & Resume Writing Workshops
Every year we partner with high schools to recruit volunteers for on-campus writing workshops. These include both resume workshops and college essay writing workshops, with teachers leading the sessions. Volunteers mentor students for 1-2 hours during the school day to help brainstorm, begin or polish students' college admission essays and resumes.
How it works: Depending on how many volunteers sign up, volunteers have the opportunity to mentor one student or a group. Both bring invaluable rewards to both the mentor and student as they talk about future plans and backgrounds to help find a topic to write their essay over. The student may just need to talk through their ideas, and that is OK.
Who can volunteer: Caring adults who are excellent listeners and good writers. Bilingual skills are a plus. Training provided 15 minutes before the session.
Classroom Speakers
We are grateful for our volunteers who visit high schools to serve as classroom speakers or conduct mock interviews. They are doctors and graphic designers; human resource managers and tech recruiters; construction managers and writers.
It’s more than OK if your career path isn’t linear: It's valuable for students to understand the importance of finding the right "fit," and the perseverance it takes to get there.
Contact us if you’re willing to talk to a classroom once or twice a year about your job, career path and the skills/strengths you need to succeed.
Become a volunteer and to be sent registration links for upcoming on-campus volunteer opportunities!