Da Vinci Students Gain Valuable Workplace Insights at Career Spring Fling at Belkin
On April 10th, close to 100 students from all five of Da Vinci’s high schools, including 7th and 8th graders from Da Vinci Connect TK-8, attended a Career Spring Fling event at Belkin’s Headquarters in El Segundo, CA, where they were able to attend workshops and leadership panels with global industry leaders; gain valuable hands-on knowledge in resume building, product design, and marketing; and learn more about what employers are looking for in the candidates they hire.
The event featured a Women Leaders Panel titled Fostering a Culture of Empowerment that included senior leaders from Google, Savage x Fenty, Delta Financial, Paramount Streaming, and Belkin. The leaders gave the high schoolers practical and thoughtful advice as they consider college and career readiness. The leaders also spoke about turning points in their own lives and the biggest hurdles they faced in their careers.
Another panel that students participated in was Diversity and Inclusion in the Corporate Setting and Everywhere that included senior leaders from Snap, Indivisible Arts, RISE High School, and Belkin. The panelists spoke about how diversity in the workplace positively impacts the workforce, brands, and consumers. They also candidly shared about work/life balance, their personal hobbies, what brings them peace of mind, and the personal self-care practices they each integrate into their daily lives to destress and live happier, fuller lives at work and beyond.
Throughout the morning together, students also participated in hands-on workshops led by Belkin team members including topics such as resume writing with the HR team, product design with the Industrial Design team, photography and art direction with the Creative team, and a Innovation and Engineering behind-the-scenes lab tour highlighting Belkin’s sustainability initiatives. The event concluded with a lunch networking session in Belkin’s outdoor courtyard with representatives from Fabletics, Saatchi & Saatchi, Google and more. Students were able to build connections with these employers – talking about their skills and interests, learning about what employers seek in talent, and building a stronger understanding of available jobs across sectors.
The event was made possible through the support of many Belkin team members who worked alongside two Da Vinci Connect High School students who completed a micro-internship that supported the planning, marketing, and execution of the event.
Belkin, a global consumer electronics and networking company headquartered in El Segundo, CA, is a founding partner of Da Vinci Schools. Chet Pipkin, founder and Executive Chairperson of Belkin, is a founding Board Member and has supported Da Vinci since its launch. Since then, leaders at Belkin including Steve Malony (CEO), Milo Dodson (Senior Manager for D&I and Community Outreach), and Jen Wei (VP of Communications and Corporate Development) have embraced and enhanced the partnership. Cassie Pineda (Senior Global Communications Manager) led planning and coordination for the Career Spring Fling. Barry Knudson (Global Real Estate & Facilities Operations), Michelle Howard (Facilities Coordinator), and many others invest countless hours to ensure the program operates effectively for both Belkin employees and Da Vinci students. Inherent values at Belkin are community and educational involvement – values that take life in its longstanding relationship with Da Vinci.
The Career Spring Fling was a tremendously impactful event – and this is only one of the many ways that Belkin has invested in students this year. Students at Da Vinci Connect High engage directly with professionals at Belkin and others on a weekly basis through Portal Learning, a career-connected learning program exclusively offered to Da Vinci Connect High students, for free. Students in the program have the opportunity to engage in sustained career-based learning alongside industry professionals to develop a sense of purpose and self-awareness, in-demand knowledge and skills that are aligned with workforce needs, and to develop their professional networks. Engagements range from:
- Career workshops, one hour sessions that highlight professionals’ personal and professional experiences
- Project consultancies, mini internships that allow students to work on real world projects alongside employer partners for 6 week cycles
- Mentoring, a full year program where students and their mentors dive into topics such as goal setting, workplace readiness, and life design
The Career Spring Fling and Belkin’s ongoing work with students at Da Vinci builds students’ social capital, allowing them to develop relationships that uplift and launch them into fulfilling lives. Students are leaving Da Vinci with increased self awareness, sense of identity, and soft skills necessary for their long term success.
Thank you to all our employer partners for coming together to make this event such a meaningful experience for students. It is one thing to teach kids about getting career-ready, and it’s another thing to show them. Thank you for your partnership.
To our students: Thank you for your engagement and your willingness to stretch yourselves and learn from others who have paved the way; we are so proud of each and every one of you.
