This past week, WLG officially launched with our very first orientation on November 20th, 2025. The meeting, which was held online, was a mentor networking opportunity to empower youth, which also serves as their very first lesson: Getting to know people and making connections is super important in the professional world. Participants logged on to a brief introduction of the program, followed by a Q&A session with a panel of 7 mentors. This event was an important launchpad for the next couple of months, as participants prepare to brush up on their professional skills and think about their future career exploration.
Networking Opportunities for Young People: Meeting Mentors and Asking Questions
CASW-Workforce put together a panel of 7 professionals, each representing different stages of their career and various backgrounds. From education to marketing to tech, the panel was defined by candid perspectives and practical advice on the part of volunteers. Some of the topics discussed were how to choose an area of study in college, how to transition from one field to another, and how technology tools are used in daily working life. Later on, the floor was given to participants, who got to ask questions of individual panelists about their individual career pathways.
Building Your Career: Practical How-To’s for Young People in NYC
All in all, mentors left participants with some general advice for launching their professional lives, but some overarching themes were getting comfortable with discomfort and allowing themselves to explore different horizons intellectually and professionally. Towards the end of the meeting, participants were asked to complete a Scavenger Hunt based on all the new information that they had just learned. Mentors also shared their contact information for anyone who had questions or wished to continue the conversation.
All in all, this was a successful first attempt at networking for 155 young people!!!
