Career & Post-Secondary Event – April 6, 2024

Welcome

We want to welcome our older Littles, post-18 mentees, and their families to our first annual career and post-secondary event, Future Forward!

We invite you to take this opportunity to explore a variety of employers, career paths, post-secondary programs and community organizations. Hopefully, the range of organizations present will provide you with insights on different jobs and career opportunities, and help with the challenging task of deciding on your own career path. We encourage you to get in contact with new people and broaden your personal and professional network throughout the day.

Major areas of focus at this event include:

Employment
Internships
Apprenticeships
GED Support
Job Shadowing Opportunities
College & Career Readiness
Certifications
Scholarships
Post-secondary Education & Training

This event includes a wide variety of breakout sessions, as well as community resources, food and beverages, free on-site haircuts for our mentees provided by Skinny’s Barber Shop, swag bags, and raffle prizes for our Littles and mentees.

We want to thank our sponsors, John Deere, Skinny’s Barber Shop, T-Mobile, Up Front Letterpress, and VIA 313 Pizza whose generous support helps make this event possible. We also want to thank all of the employers, post-secondary schools and programs, community organizations, BBBS partners and volunteers who are participating.

Let’s Build. Empower. Connect.

#FutureForwardCTX

MAKING THE MOST OF THE DAY

To make the most of this event, we have created several handouts that we encourage you to download and review before Future Forward begins:

HOW TO NETWORK

INTERVIEW TIPS

QUESTIONS TO ASK EMPLOYERS

TIPS FOR TALKING TO EMPLOYERS

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

After checking in at the Future Forward registration tables and picking up a welcome packet and event materials, mentees and their families can visit the breakout sessions of their choice. Participants are welcome to drop in to receive support. These breakout sessions will be offered throughout the duration of the event.

sessions include:

Resumes: One-on-one work building and editing resumes.
Making the Most of LinkedIn: Discussion of the benefits of LinkedIn, best practices, and how to set up profiles to attract employers.
College Readiness: What it means to be ready for college and how to be prepared academically and personally.
Study Tips: How to develop study habits that can help you stay on top of your coursework and study more efficiently and effectively.
FAFSA and Apply Texas: Support setting up FAFSA and Apply Texas accounts, answering questions, and developing next steps with the college enrollment process.
Career Exploration: How to begin figuring out potential majors and career tracks that are the best fit for you.

PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS

ACC Continuing Education – Trades
Amazon Web Services
American Youthworks
Austin Career Institute
Austin Community College
Austin Fire Department
Austin INFINITI
Austin Travis County EMS
Capital IDEA
Climate Control Solutions

College Contact
Dream Come True Foundation
Dress for Success Austin
E4Youth
First Texas Honda
Foundation Communities
Goodwill Central Texas WIOA
Google
Home Builders Association
IMPACT Barber Academy
John Deere

Lifeworks
Park University
PelotonU
Skillpoint Alliance
The Bush School of Government & Public Service, Texas A&M University
The College of Healthcare Professions
The Excel Center
Urban Roots
Workforce Solutions Capital Area
Your Ticket to College

RAFFLE PRIZES

Mentees will have the opportunity to participate in a free raffle! We will be raffling off Chromebooks, a clipper set and haircut by Skinny’s Barber Shop, gift cards from HEB and Amazon, and more prizes to come. Winners will be chosen and notified at the end of the event!