Randolph-Henry High School (R-HHS) held its first Ready for Work (RD4WK) Day on April 11 sponsored by school counselor Kaylei Jones, GearUp coordinator.

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) is a federal program and the fiscal agent for the Gear UP program, which provides support for post-secondary education for students.

Setting the tone for the afternoon, the keynote speaker Anthony Putorek, Microsoft’s Senior Workforce Development Project Manager, addressed students in the R-HHS auditorium to discuss workplace expectations. He emphasized skills such as punctuality, effective communication and collaboration, and the importance of first impressions.

After the keynote, the event continued where students met representatives from a wide range of high demand careers from the region. The companies participating included Microsoft, Cardinal Homes, Tucker Timber, Mills Heating and Air, Centra Health, YakAttack and ARC3.

Educational representatives from Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC) and SVHEC were in attendance to present programs that provide seamless transitions into these high paying jobs. Students rotated through breakout sessions where they learned essential skills such as resume writing, interview skills, creating digital portfolios, matching their interests to careers, and learning about the importance of professional social media.

RD4WK is a career development program created by Cardinal’s Nest Educational Services. For more information email info@cardinalsnest.org.

To see more pictures of this event follow the RD4WK program on Facebook at https://www. facebook.com/RD4WK.