Social Capital and Connections

I can remember several times when my family encouraged me to reach out to family friends for positions or jobs, or told me to call on an extended network. In these cases I always refused. Although I took advantage of my college degree, I started at the bottom within this community, and very few people know about my background. 

I do remember, however, one interview where the hiring manager looked at my hand for my college class ring, which is well know and regarded in our community. I don’t wear my class ring. They were surprised that I had the university on the resume without the class ring and said, “you need to wear that thing, especially around here.” Regardless, and despite those instances of aspects of my history and life I might not utilize in my career, I look at my colleagues, contemporaries, and trainees and realize that so many of them didn’t have the opportunity to go to college, or finish high school as I have, or to build the networks and relationships on top of that foundation. 

We support scores of non-native English speaking workers and migrant workers, and many of them struggle to pass the courses that we provide. In some cases that’s due to their inability to speak the language well, but many too aren’t used to testing, struggle with tests, or struggle with paying attention during long classes. 

I’d like to see a point where we have less reliance on the staid and old school testing and training model we’ve had for so long and instead looking for training opportunities that might incorporate and encourage learning from those who come from cultures and backgrounds where testing, classes, and courses are not modeled on our way of doing things. 

I do however appreciate the strides we do make, and revel in the fact that we are a community of practice that help support careers rather than just the individual. Those that embrace the community, the industry, and the work, regardless of background or social standing, can find our organization is a willing partner in their career success and in helping them gain social capital.