West Point CTC helps students dress for success
WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – Interviewing for a job is a huge milestone in life, but it can also be very nerve-racking. That’s why the West Point Career and Technology Center is helping students dress to impress.
It’s a longstanding piece of advice in the business world, “When you go in for the interview, dress for the job you want.”
At The CTC, they are equipping students to do just that.
The center now has a clothing rack to help students find the right pieces to help them dress for success at interviews and employment events.
CTC instructor Kasi Black says she thought of the idea of the clothing rack while she was cleaning out some of her old clothes.
“I just have seen a lot of people that are trying to get rid of very professional clothes,” Black said. “I had a few of my own, and I didn’t want to just toss them out, so I thought they’d be great to bring here to give to the students. It’d be one less thing they have to worry about.”
Job skills are important to do the job, but it also takes interview skills to get the job.
“The student services coordinator here teaches them the proper etiquette for interviews and placement interviews that they may take in college to get into a certain program,” Black said. “They even go through mock interviews at East Mississippi through a program they have there as well. And we have partners that partner with our school throughout the community and they tell us certain things that we need to work on, and give the kids something to look forward to.”
Ava Grace Burton is a sophomore at West Point High School.
She says she will have the opportunity to interview for a job in November.
She’s been thinking a lot about what to wear to that first interview.
“I want to make a good first impression,” Burton said.
Burton says she is thankful the CTC is providing these resources for students.
“This is just an opportunity for kids who may not have options at home and maybe worrying about it, like not looking professional enough,” Burton said. “That’s the whole point of the CTC. It’s to get us prepared for real-life jobs, and they are just reaching out and giving people opportunities.”
“We want them to present themselves professionally, we will also teach them the proper etiquette and things to wear to show the employer that they are the right person for the job,” Black said.
Any clothes they use from the rack are theirs to keep to help put their best foot forward in their career.
Anyone in the community can donate business clothes to the CTC.
If you would like to, you can call the main office at the West Point Career and Technology Center.
If there are any alterations or cleaning that need to be handled, they will take care of that as well.
