EVIT News Parents Can Use - Dec. 2020
Hello, EVIT parents! This is the third in a series of monthly newsletters to give you more information about the East Valley Institute of Technology and how your son or daughter can get the most out of their career and technical education. Today’s topic: Soft skills.
When students complete their career training, they leave EVIT with skills to perform certain jobs, such as welder, medical assistant, barber, mechanic and many more. Most of them also leave with a professional credential – a certification or license that shows employers they have mastered the technical skills needed for the job. But is that enough? No, according to employers, industry representatives and numerous articles about workplace trends.
They also need “soft” skills: Knowing how to dress appropriately and show up ready to work each day, how to manage their time effectively, collaborate as part of a team and communicate in person, by phone and in writing – not just by sending text messages or posting on their favorite social media platform.
The EVIT edge
Students who attend EVIT have the edge on many of their peers because by fitting two to four hours of career training into their day, they are already learning how to manage their time and juggle priorities and responsibilities. By wearing their EVIT uniform, they are practicing wearing appropriate clothing and gear for their chosen career. Campus labs, job shadowing and internships give them the experience of collaborating and communicating in a workplace.
Parents can help too
In the online magazine Your Teen for Parents, writer Mary Helen Berg offers some suggestions for how parents can help their teenagers develop the soft skills they will need for success in college and the workplace:
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Tell them how you use time management in your job, how you work as part of a team, how you communicate with others.
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Let them resolve their own conflicts with teachers when there’s a problem with their school work so they learn to be responsible for their assignments and to communicate and negotiate when issues come up.
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Encourage them to participate in team or club activities where they’re interacting with peers.
Read Berg’s article:
https://yourteenmag.com/teens-college/college-life/soft-skills-for-teens
To learn more about the personal and interpersonal skills your teen will need to be successful, check out the U.S. Department of Education’s Employability Skills Framework:
https://cte.ed.gov/initiatives/employability-skills-framework
Beka’s story
EVIT has many examples of alumni who put it all together – technical and social skills, education and motivation – to become successful. Beka Hussong’s dream was to own her own business. Read her inspiring story:
https://bit.ly/evithussongstory
Enrollment for 2021-22
We have started enrolling for next school year. If your son or daughter plans to return to EVIT next year, they will take a brief survey in class and that will be all they need to do to re-enroll. EVIT will send their information to their high school for scheduling purposes, and no other paperwork or documentation will be needed.
If you have another student who would like to enroll at EVIT, they can start the process by going to
www.evit.com/enroll.
EVIT is a school of choice. Students often tell us they love EVIT because our students choose to be here. It’s not just another class to fill out a schedule. They enjoy being at a school with classmates and teachers who share their interest and passion for a particular career or industry. If you know of other families with students who would thrive by choosing EVIT, we hope you will share with them that we are now enrolling. Please encourage them to visit
www.evit.com/enroll.
And if you’re on social media, feel free to share our promotional video:
https://youtu.be/a6B18_axa8w
EVIT parents, we appreciate your support!
To keep up with EVIT programs, events and news during the 2020-21 school year, be sure to follow our social media:
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EVIT changes lives by loving our students and serving our community.