Community Employers Teach PCC Students

WINTERVILLE—For the fourth year in a row, more than two dozen local employers visited the Pitt Community College campus to speak with students about their careers and what it takes to be successful in them.

Held Wednesday morning, the 2018 edition of “Employers Teach Class” featured 29 employers speaking to students in 32 classes. In addition to sharing details about their organizations, professional experiences and skills needed to do their jobs, they offered strategies for entering their respective career fields and stressed the importance of gaining experience prior to graduation.

PCC Career Services Coordinator Arwen Parris helped organize the event and said it was a great example of the community’s support for the college and its Public Services and Fine Arts programming. She said the success of last year’s event is what prompted Career Services to team up with Public Services and Fine Arts again this year.

“The feedback we received from students following the 2017 event was that employer speakers reinforced the importance of their education and motivated them to continue working hard and progressing through their studies and training,” Parris said. “Students get excited when employers meet them where they are – in the classrooms.”

The list of businesses and organizations that participated in this year’s program included the Winterville and Greenville police departments, Triple P Parenting, Youth Villages, Center for Family Violence Prevention, East Carolina University, Pitt County District Attorney’s Office, Aces for Autism and Evolve, Inc.

“It was wonderful seeing the familiar faces of returning employers, as well as the faces of new employers from our community supporting our students and the college,” Parris said.

According to a recently-released report by Economic Modeling Specialists International, the community stands to benefit greatly from that support. The study determined that during the 2015-16 fiscal year, Pitt alumni in the regional workforce added $200.8 million in income to the PCC service area economy.

Located in the Craig F. Goess Student Center, PCC Career Services is a valuable resource to current students and alumni striving to achieve their educational and career goals. By coordinating with various campus departments and community organizations, Career Services staff organize a number of professional development opportunities and events each year, including career fairs, classroom presentations and workshops.

02/12/2018