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The Robert G. Freeman Center for Career & Completion (Freeman Center) is halfway through its first semester at Pasadena City College (PCC). It provides a comprehensive suite of opportunities for students to explore their career paths, expand their interviewing skills, learn about leadership and build CVs or resumes. 

Freeman Center staff, led by Interim Director Sharis Davoodi, are prepared to answer students’ questions or guide them in the right direction. 

“It’s worth it for the student to come in and invest their time in their future,” said Davoodi. “It takes time, and we understand that. We are willing to see the student as many times as they need it. These are all life impacted decisions they are making, and you may have to think about it more.”

Step 1: Get your workshop on at the Freeman Center

Twelve workshops are available to all PCC students throughout the semester. Reserving a spot is recommended, but students are welcome to enter within the first 10 minutes of the event. Sign-ups are available at the center or online for the workshops, which cover an array of topics, including:

• Exploring Entrepreneurship
• Networking
• Personal Branding
• What’s Next?
• What Can I Do With This Major?
• Discovery
• Acing the Interview
• Resume
• Networking
• LinkedIn
• Employability Skills
• MILD: Managing the “I” in Leadership Development

Superintendent-President Erika Endrijonas teaches the MILD workshop. She discusses self-development, leadership styles, and mentorship.

“The value of the Freeman Center is you get that career piece that shows you what all of the career possibilities are,” Endrijonas said. “It has the potential to provide direct experience to help you determine whether or not that’s what you want to do. That’s the most valuable thing we can do.” 

At least two workshops are held daily from Monday to Thursday each week. 

Already in the Fall 2019 semester, the Freeman Center scheduled 95 workshops for students. 

 

Step 2: Find easy access to advising sessions

The Freeman Center offers one-hour advising by appointment and drop-in sessions of 15 to 20 minutes. For off-campus advising, students can also access advisors via the online career chats.  An advisor will respond to the online inquiry within 72 hours. 

There are currently six advisors and six intern advisors. An advisor is always present during the center’s operating hours for drop-in, even if one is in the middle of a scheduled appointment. Career advisor Karissa Pimental and her fellow staff of advisors have either obtained a master’s degree or are currently in a graduate program. 

“If they are coming in blindly and they are kind of like ‘I am lost here at PCC,’ we start using the counseling skills there,” Pimental said. “Tell me more about what you’re doing right now and what’s not working and what’s working. We like to look at where they are, where they want to go and how to get there.”

Career advising sessions are encouraged for all questions and concerns. Advisors emphasize that some matters may take longer to plan out, such as resumes and education plans. 

 

Step 3: Activate your Jobspeaker account to explore internships and jobs

The Freeman Center provides all PCC students free access to Jobspeaker, an online job posting board. Once the account is activated by the student, they will have the freedom of looking through many jobs or internships on or off campus. 

There is also a binder with a list of internships that students can come in anytime to flip through at their convenience.  

 

Step 4: Make an appointment 

Jacqueline Javier, program manager of work-based learning, is a resource for more job exploration assistance, including job fairs. 

The Freeman Center is open and ready to serve PCC students: Mondays through Thursdays  8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is located in IT-200, near Hill Avenue.

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