“Who Gets the Job” Program for Litchfield 8th Graders

The Litchfield Kiwanis Club is coordinating a program for Litchfield 8th grade students called “Who Gets the Job.” It will help the students with interview skills as they seek future employment.

Kiwanis Club member Judy Hulterstrum says the program started back in 2019, but then got interrupted during the pandemic years and the idea started when she was at the Chamber office and her daughter needed an idea for her FACS class on career exploration. She says 8th graders are actually not too far away from seeking their first jobs so the program is helpful for them.

Hulterstrum says they focus more on interview skills, but also address wardrobe to some degree as you want to appear neat, but you also want to wear clothing that fits the job you’re seeking. She says Central Minnesota Jobs & Training had an online assessment that they had the 8th graders fill out last fall and Kiwanis members have spoken to the students in their classrooms.

Hulterstrum says group interviews will be conducted on April 23rd, with two students in each group getting “call backs” and then one ultimately being chosen for a job-shadowing experience at a business of their choice. She says she and Leland Fredman applied for a grant and received $2,300 from Kiwanis International for the “Who Gets the Job” program and they received additional funding from Anderson Chemical and Custom Products. The Kiwanis Club meets on Wednesdays at noon at the Captain’s Club in downtown Litchfield and new members are welcome to join.