Mock Interviews Prepare Maryland P-TECH Students for IT Jobs

(TNS) — Thirty students from the Pathways in Technology Early College High School program at Joppatowne High School participated in mock interviews March 10 with mentors from Aberdeen Proving Ground, including the Army Communications Electronics Command, Army Test and Evaluation Command, and Regional Network Enterprise Center.

"This event set a standard for the P-TECH program and will provide students with cutting-edge skills in applying and interviewing for jobs in the technology field," said Shomari Zachary, P-TECH coordinator. "The lessons and skills they gained will forever guide them."

Interviews were conducted both online and in person. Students were required to dress for the occasion as they received on-the-spot feedback.

"The feedback given to me afterward was very helpful because the interviewers gave me better ways to remember my prepared thoughts and effective ways to practice for the interview," said Cash Carter, a 10th-grader.

Parents and guardians were instrumental in prepping students by conducting mock interviews at home, according to a news release from Harford County Public Schools. By the end of the event, students gained confidence in their abilities and intelligence after the interviews highlighted their potential, the news release said.

"This was an opportunity of growth and highlighted my real potential for the real world when I apply to cybersecurity jobs in the future," said Kennedy Green, a 10th-grader.

Through the immersive P-TECH program, students are taking high school and college courses while working in the field of computer information systems or cybersecurity. The goal of the program is to empower students to pursue advanced education and to be financially successful in a global economy, according to the news release.

Harford County Public Schools is partnered with the Army Communications Electronics Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground to create this event and to help students get paid internships as well as individualized mentorship. CECOM's contribution to Joppatown High School's P-TECH program is "priceless," the school system said in the news release.

"Moving forward, these students will be applying for six-week internships that will start in 2024," said Casi Boyer, a CECOM human resources specialist,. "It is our hope they will eventually choose to become Army civilian employees and work with us at APG. I can honestly tell you [this] was a pivotal experience in their careers."

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