Not every young person knows what they want to be when they grow up — but sometimes all it takes is one conversation to discover a passion. At the Aurora Public Library District, we’ve started a new program series at West Branch to get teens thinking about their future without the pressure of deciding their future. Our ‘Meet a Professional’ program series introduces a new career each month with the hopes of sparking curiosity to learn more.
We asked ourselves: what’s a fun way we can help young people start thinking about their future without feeling overwhelmed? “I decided bringing in professionals may be the best way to get teens who may not be thinking about careers to visit these programs.” Cesar, West Branch’s teen librarian said. “I got very lucky finding my passion for libraries at a young age, I am hoping someone else can find their passion through speaking to one of our many professionals!”
These conversations are an exciting opportunity for young people to get an inside look at what it takes to become that profession. They’ll learn what it takes to enter the field, the required education or trade training, and what a typical workday looks like. At our March program, we’ll meet professional welder Eric Pike. Eric is a nuclear certified welder for high pressure systems and valves. He’ll be discussing how power plants work, industrial repair work (including welding, metal working, and blacksmithing), and realistic expectations for anyone entering the field. Looking ahead, we welcome Allan Barajas, project manager at the Naperville Park District in April, and Adriana Nava-Villanueva, an HR generalist from WAV LLC in May. “There’s been a huge response from potential presenters, and their professions are so varied, there’s no doubt customers will find a session of interest to them,” added West Branch manager, Kiri. “But we are always looking for potential presenters!”
Our goal is to provide young people or even someone exploring a career shift with the resources and opportunities to make educated decisions about their futures. In addition to the Meet a Professional series, APLD carries several career guidebooks and offers access to Brainfuse JobNow, a database that provides career assessments tools to help narrow the focus towards particular career paths and positions. These resources are beneficial to anyone of any age who may be looking for job information. And as always, our librarians are available to help — whether it involves a welding helmet or not.
Meet a Professional with welder Eric Pike will take place Saturday, March 7 at 2 p.m. at West Branch, and registration is now open. The program is free and open to anyone ages 12 and up who’s ready to explore potential career paths or simply learn something new. To sign up, visit www.aurorapubliclibrary.org/event/15352556 or contact the library at 630-264-41147. We look forward to seeing teens take that first step toward discovering what’s possible!
Andrea Tiberi is the communications coordinator for the Aurora Public Library District.