News

October 29, 2019

Business Leaders Share Networking, Communication Skills with P-TECH Students

Leaders from a wide spectrum of technology businesses met with students in the innovative Capital Region BOCES Pathways in Technology Early College High School
(P-TECH) east campus at Watervliet High School on Friday to share skills that the students can use to gain employment and build careers.

Ron Gibson of Adnet, Miriam Dushane of Alaant, along with Cassandra Passinault-Caputo NYS-IT and New York State Information Technology Systems trainer Nicole Harmon spoke about so-called “soft skills” – communication, time management, networking, etc.

Time and again, “soft skills” are among the leading skills that employers repeatedly cite in national surveys as lacking among the pool of workers and potential workers they interact with.

“How would you feel if you were offering someone a $100,000 job and they were looking at their phone?” Gibson asked a group of students, adding “It wouldn’t be good.”

Gibson and the other executives met in groups of three to four sophomores to share their wealth of knowledge and experience, while Harmon spoke to freshman about a variety of topics.

“One of the things that is big with us is listening with your eyes and your body. The overwhelming message I want you to hear is that if you are not doing both, you aren’t going to get that phone call back from a potential employer,” Gibson said.

While the sophomores likely have a good understanding of computer networking, the other important type of networking – social and business networking – is still in development. That’s where Dushane offered her expertise.

“I like to be around people who share similar interests so when I like to go to events where I am going to learn something new and hopefully, while there, meet people who have similar business interests. That leads to new connections,” she told the attentive students.

The leaders also discussed the importance of having a good “30-second elevator pitch” – a brief description of what sets you apart from others in the skills that you have.

“You have to be able to describe you and what sets you apart,” they said.

The 10th grade students agreed that having the opportunity to talk with and listen to the business professionals was time well spent.

“I think we all learned a lot,” said Colin Foster. “Especially why making a good first impression is so important.”

Located in Watervliet and at the Center for Advanced Technology at Mohonasen, P-TECH is offered to students throughout the region through a consortium that includes Capital Region BOCES, the Capital Region Chamber, Hudson Valley Community College and SUNY Schenectady County Community College.

The program provides pathways for students to earn free college degrees in Computer Science, Computer Information Systems and Cybersecurity.

Students who will enter the ninth grade next year are encouraged to apply for the P-TECH program. For more information, go to https://www.capitalregionboces.org/student-recruitment-underway-for-2020-21/.