WWTW Debuts Pilot Program, Career Fair For High School Seniors

We Work The Waterways (WWTW) plans to debut a new pilot program April 18 in Paducah, Ky., and later in Louisiana.

The program, which has been under the umbrella of Inland Rivers, Ports and Terminals Inc., for just over a year, is mostly known for its “industry interaction days” that connect students with the maritime industry through a variety of hands-on skills stations, presentations and tours. Now, WWTW is embarking on its Soft Skills Training and Maritime Career Fair as a way to connect a second time with interested students.

“We’re taking things to the next level,” said Errin Howard, director of We Work The Waterways.

The pilot program is open only to high school seniors who already attended an industry interaction day and expressed interest in the possibility of a maritime career.

They are asked to complete a “brag sheet” ahead of time and bring it with them.

“We will talk about their answers,” Howard said. “We’re really teaching students how to sell themselves.”

Not every student may have job experience, for example, she said, but event crew will help them to see how their experiences, such as being a member of a team, include qualities like collaboration, leadership and sportsmanship that employers want to see.

Students are also asked to come dressed professionally and to bring a resume.

Other stations will work on such job-ready aspects as how to give an elevator pitch and the importance of eye contact and shaking hands.

The schedule calls for breakfast networking sessions with maritime professionals, followed by three half-hour soft skills training sessions, lunch and a one-hour career fair where students may immediately fill out applications and hand out resumes for employment consideration post-graduation. A career fair open to the public will follow from 2 to 4 p.m.

The Paducah sessions will be held at the McCracken County Extension Office, 2025 New Holt Road. Howard said We Work The Waterways plans to debut the same training program and fair in Louisiana later in the year.

The idea behind the Soft Skills Training and Maritime Career Fair came from educators on the WWTW advisory council who stressed the importance of multiple touchpoints for students who need more time to explore options within the maritime industry. They may also need help to polish their pre-employment skills or to connect with employers.

“We need to be visible and seen more than just one day, when we do our industry interaction days,” Howard said.

The Soft Skills Training and Maritime Career Fair also gives a smaller setting conducive to more one-on-one work with students. Instead of hundreds, about 70 are expected for the Paducah event.

We Work The Waterways is also debuting a new way for students to keep up with information shared with them, both at the new event and traditional Industry Interaction Days. They will each receive a lanyard with a key card identifying them as a “maritime explorer.”

Collectable cards designed to fit in the lanyard’s pouch will include tips for crafting an elevator pitch and acing a job interview. A scannable QR code will link to WWTW’s new student landing page on the organization’s website at www.weworkthewaterways.org. We Work The Waterways has also debuted a new tagline for events: “Navigate your path. Build your future.”

Career cards will include information about six types of maritime careers: vessel positions, facility and maintenance, shipyard and repair, business and logistics, conservation and environmental, and federal agency positions. They also include information about specific career pathways.

Industry partners also receive their own lanyards identifying them as “industry experts” and receive a template to create their own cards students can collect with information about the company they might want to learn more about later.

Howard said these cards become yet another touchpoint for students with the maritime industry after the events.

“They have a way to learn what they’re interested in and to refer back and remember and find out more after the event’s over,” she said.

We Work The Waterways has also developed posters that can be hung in school guidance or career centers.

Additionally, as part of being prepared to host more programs and visit with more students annually, We Work The Waterways has increased its staff to three people for the first time ever. In addition to Howard, Pam Maxwell was hired in November as assistant director. Nikki Fondren is joining the staff February 17 as marketing and program coordinator.