SOS Outreach has introduced its Career Development Program to participants in North and South Lake Tahoe. Through this summer program, teens ages 15 and up are placed in paid apprenticeships at Northstar California and Heavenly Mountain Resort after completing a two-week training intensive that focuses on interview skills, resume building, technology, professional communication and inclusion in the workplace. Through guest speakers, community service and site visits, participants learn the importance of core values and how to put them to practice.
“Though I currently have a job, I never had a resume or learned interview skills until this program,” says Juli, 11th grade participant. “After doing a few interviews at Northstar, I learned that the person interviewing you is also human and they are not trying to make you nervous. If you don’t immediately know the answer to a question, it’s okay to ask for more time to think. I feel so much more confident about how to act in the workplace and am really looking forward to the first step of a career in the outdoor industry.”
With a large part of SOS programming focused on skiing and riding, this program originated as a way to keep youth engaged all year long and to also show them how to make their passion a career. After success in Colorado and Utah, SOS Outreach has been working to expand the program and was able to do so in Tahoe with the support of Vail Resorts and the Tahoe Fund.
“We absolutely love this program,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO. “With the current shortage of outdoor recreation workers, it is so smart to expand the relationships these kids have with the mountains into a meaningful career path. This will pay off for everyone in the long-run. Kudos to SOS Outreach for expanding access and inclusion on the ski hills and in the workforce.”
