TFIM Conference features new site hosts and workshops
Some 300 students will converge Downtown when our career exploration program, The Future Is Mine, holds its annual two-day Student Leadership Conference April 10th-11th.
The Conference, themed “Cheers to 19 Years” in celebration of TFIM’s 19th anniversary, gets underway as it traditionally does with career explorations hosted by 16 different employers. Following the workplace visits, students will visit Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum to take in a little history then head over to the Pittsburgh Marriott City Center for dinner, a dance, an overnight stay and a second day of career-related workshops.
“We’ve got some new worksite hosts this year as well as some returnees that haven’t hosted visits for at least several years,” said TFIM Program Director Gina Barrett. “We’ll also be offering some outstanding workshops, including a number that were student-driven and organized by TFIM teams.”
The Conference is TFIM’s culminating event for the school year, bringing together students from nearly 30 high schools.
New to the event as career exploration host sites are Covestro, a polymers manufacturer and HDR, an engineering and architecture firm. Returning after a number of years are the clothing retailer, American Eagle Outfitters; filmmaker and post-production services firm, PMI and Duquesne LIght Co.
Also hosting visits are: ALCOSAN, Allegheny County, Allegheny General Hospital, Carnegie Museum of Art, Dollar Bank, Google, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Jefferson Hospital, United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Urban Design Associates and the Waterways Association of Pittsburgh with Gateway Clipper Fleet.
Among more than a dozen different workshops will be sessions using: an Escape Room to build STEM skills; Human-Centered Design techniques to improve organizational and collaborative skills; research from Carnegie Mellon University’s BrainHub to build social and emotional skills; mock-interviews and other activities to improve job search skills and business etiquette.
As in past years, the Conference has a blue chip roster of sponsors including: American Eagle Outfitters Foundation; Comcast; Covestro; Dollar Bank; Duquesne Light Company; Highmark Casualty Insurance Co. HM Insurance Group; Huntington National Bank; NCDMM; NexTier; Pittsburgh Marriott City Center; Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation; Pittsburgh Pirates; Schell Games; Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall; UPMC; Wells Fargo Foundation and individual benefactor Amy Winokur.
