Connect Over Coffee Brings Supporters and Trainees Together to Practice Networking Skills

At Hope Builders, young adults receive comprehensive support to develop both the hard skills needed to enter the workforce and the soft skills to ensure continued career growth.

To assist in the development of soft skills like communication and adaptability, a small group of Hope Builders supporters recently joined clinical medical assisting trainees in their eighth week of training at our Anaheim location for Connect Over Coffee. Through a speed networking exercise, volunteers helped trainees practice initiating conversations, share their motivations for pursuing a healthcare career and articulate their plans for career growth. Through these interactions, trainees learned how to engage meaningfully with new people and built confidence with their interpersonal abilities.

Volunteers also enjoyed the opportunity to witness first-hand the impact of their support and to provide encouragement to trainees as they prepare to start their careers. Mona-Gail Baker, Community Banking Underwriter at WaFd Bank, shared, “The event was such a great opportunity to connect with the trainees. I encouraged them to keep striving and to know that each day they attend class, they are accomplishing something toward their goal.”

Over the next two months, the medical assisting trainees will continue to work on developing the skills needed to excel in their healthcare careers. The next opportunity for volunteers to help them prepare will be at virtual mock interviews on January 7^th at 8:30am-11am. Please contact Krista Langford at klangford@tsjhopebuilders.org to sign up, or for more information on mock interviews and upcoming Connect Over Coffee events.