On March 12, iMentor NYC and 75 high school juniors and seniors from the Academy for Software Engineering (AFSE) joined Amazon employees at its Landmark Office for a series of career-connected activities. These activities are designed to introduce students, many of whom are the first in their families to pursue college, to the wide range of opportunities that await them after high school.
Employee Resource Group (ERG) leaders from Amazon led a Q&A centered on navigating a major corporation, the diversity of positions that are available, and how affinity groups allow them to create an environment of inclusion and belonging. Students learned about roles within Amazon beyond the “typical” positions that many were familiar with – sparking conversations about the different post-secondary paths that can lead to sustainable careers.
“At Amazon, we’re committed to supporting students from classroom to career. We are proud to support iMentor’s work helping students attend and thrive in college,” says Rusik Mundhe, Director at Amazon Web Services. “We were honored to host a group of iMentor students, hear about their journeys, and share our perspectives on navigating the educational journey and transition to the workplace.”
“My experience coming to Amazon was very good, learning about all the different diversity teams,” says Omar, an iMentor senior. “I’m only 17. I still have a lot of my life ahead of me for college and what I’m going to do to be successful in life.”
Thirty Amazon volunteers then met with small groups of students to discuss their experiences through high school and college and their personal career journeys. Many of these volunteers were part of affinity groups and identify as people of color and first-generation college students – embodying the “see it to be it” philosophy that inspires students to envision themselves in fulfilling and successful roles.
“It was worth coming here so I could learn about other people’s experiences and help educate myself on what’s going to happen after college,” says Adama, an iMentor senior. “I know that my life can change while I’m in college and that I don’t have to focus on just one thing.”
The evening concluded with the arrival of the students’ mentors for an iMentor pair event – a monthly meet-up where mentors and mentees socialize and work on a guided curriculum. This is the first opportunity for mentors to meet at a corporate partner location, giving them the chance to explore a real-world work environment with their mentees. With exposure to new and diverse industries both from their mentees and iMentor-sponsored activities, students can chart their post-secondary paths with a wider set of options to fit their interests and passions.
To learn more about partnering with iMentor NYC to support students, email Krista Njapa, Managing Director, Corporate and Community Partnerships, at [email protected].
