Career Readiness Academy

About the Career Readiness Academy

The Career Readiness Academy will provide training to underserved populations in the Fresno area. Designed by Fresno State’s Division of Continuing and Global Education—in cooperation with local nonprofit organizations, the City of Fresno, and the Fresno Chamber of Commerce—the Career Readiness Academy will feature a series of personal development workshops, career evaluation tools, and access to job placement opportunities. The program will be held at the Fresno State Downtown Center, located in the Bitwise South Stadium complex at Van Ness and Mono.

We need local nonprofit and government agencies to help us identify individuals who could benefit from the Career Readiness Academy. Participants must be at least 18 years of age, but there are no minimum educational requirements. We are building the Career Readiness Academy for people who have faced economic, financial, or personal setbacks in their lives and are looking for resources to help them secure new jobs, skills, or careers. Free bus passes will be provided to participants who require transportation to the Downtown Center.

Interactive Workshops

Fresno State has recruited local experts to teach professional skills workshops for the Career Readiness Academy. Our instructors will use a variety of techniques—from traditional lecture to team challenges and mock workplace exercises—to help participants master the intricacies of the job search process and workplace etiquette. The workshops and tools offered by the academy will help participants build confidence in their public speaking skills, draft strong resumes, master the job interview process, and contribute to modern workplaces.

The interactive workshops will include all of the following subjects (dates and times can be found on the referral form):

Project Planning: Develop your critical thinking skills and learn how to plan and adapt to the projects and tasks that arise in a typical workplace.

Solving Workplace Problems: Learn how to make informed decisions in a modern workplace. A series of challenges will require you to evaluate and solve workplace problems in an efficient manner.

Communication in the Workplace: Learn and discuss models of workplace communication. A set of challenges will help you learn how to adapt and interact with others in a modern workplace.

Teamwork & Collaboration: Build your collaborative skills in this workshop. A common goal will be set for you and your teammates, and you must learn how to work together to achieve it.

Creativity: Think boldly and try new ideas to solve a simple problem. This workshop will require interactive problem-solving with an endless number of possible solutions.

Business Communication Essentials: Improve your business writing skills by learning how to use clear and effective language, appropriate workplace writing styles, and standard formats. Includes instruction on writing a resume that clearly reflects your skills and experience.

Resume Writing: Learn what it takes to develop a winning resume from an expert. You will be given guidance on what gets your resume noticed by employers, and common pitfalls to avoid as well. Understand how to leverage your background, work experience, and talents no matter what stage of your career you are in. You will also learn how to craft an effective cover letter. All in attendance are strongly encouraged to bring a copy of their current resume to the class. 

Interview Skills: This workshop will begin with how to properly prepare for an interview. You will also learn how to deliver meaningful answers, ask the right questions, and leave a lasting impression on the interviewer. Finally, you will be given the opportunity to participate in a mock job interview and obtain feedback on your performance.

ESL Preparation for Career Exploration: This series will equip limited-English speaking students with the necessary vocabulary to successfully use online career exploration tools and familiarize them with the language they will encounter as they seek jobs in new fields. Students will be able to discuss and understand topics related to different career fields. 

Public Speaking: Learn the core elements of public speaking, including analysis of the audience, efficient and effective use of presentation aids/space, modes of speech delivery, and public speaking ethics.

Livestreamed Workshops

The Fresno State Career Development Center runs a series of informational workshops for Fresno State students who are getting ready to enter the working world, and many of these workshops will be livestreamed to the Career Development Academy. Topics include: interviewing techniques, resume writing, researching hiring companies, and career exploration. Participants will be able to view the workshops at the Fresno State Downtown Center. These workshops are only available for viewing. Two-way interaction will not be possible.

Career Exploration Tools

A set of career assessment and planning tools will be made available to Career Readiness Academy participants. These tools will help participants search for education and training resources, research employers and career transition tools, and build a portfolio of work to present to employers. Open labs and trained advisors will be made available to participants.

Job Expo

The Career Readiness Academy has partnered with the Fresno Chamber of Commerce for the 2017 Emerging Leaders Employment Expo, and special resources will be made available to Career Readiness Academy participants.

Geekwise Academy

A small number of qualified participants will receive placement in the Geekwise Academy program. Geekwise Academy offers six-week programming courses and resources for students who wish to start new careers developing websites and apps. Career Readiness Academy participants will be evaluated as they progress in the Geekwise Academy program. Exceptional participants may receive placement in as many as four Geekwise Academy courses.

We ask that all application forms be submitted by January 16, 2017. Forms received after January 16 will still be accepted, and participants will be placed in workshops if space is still available. CBOs may use the CBO Referral Form (PDF Link) to recommend an applicant for the program. Applicants may also apply on their own, without a CBO recommendation, using the Self-Application Form (PDF Link). 

If you have any questions about the Career Readiness Academy, contact the Division of Continuing and Global Education at 559.278.0333 and ask for Susan Hawksworth or David Hoff.

The Career Readiness Academy is proud to collaborate with our community partners: