Summer Camp

Moustafa N cpdSky’s the Limit* has been the Charity of Choice of the CIO Association for a number of years now. This summer, the relationship was further developed as association members were invited to be resource people for the organization’s new summer “Tech Camp” program. Moustafa Naguib, Director, IT Infrastructure at Superior Propane, responded to the call, participating in the July program run at the Rexdale STEM Club.

Most of the participants in the program were students in grades 9 to 11. At this stage of life, they have very little work experience, so they were very eager to learn about using networking to find jobs. Since ads for jobs are the most visible way to look for work, students were surprised to learn that only a small percentage of positions are filled that way. A couple of the participants did have part time jobs, and were able to share their stories that proved the point. This led to discussion about how much time they should spend completing job applications versus networking.

Moustafa was impressed by the young people who attended the camp. They participated by asking questions, being willing to share their own experiences, and listening to everything. They wanted to know about what homework they should do before an interview, and what techniques they should use during interviews. We hear a lot about the short attention span of young people in our society, but this group was totally focussed on the discussion for the full time allotted.

The topic for this session was one that Moustafa was familiar with, having presented on in the past. He was able to use his previous slides with the group, which meant that preparation for the session wasn’t too time consuming.

Moustafa was impressed with the way that the organization is helping young people to prepare to enter the workforce. It is very satisfying to contribute to this important work, influencing young people at this stage of life. He encourages other members to get involved with Sky’s the Limit: “You will make a difference.”

*Sky’s the Limit is a registered charity that provides laptops to the youth who need them across Canada. Recipients are marginalized and at-risk youth across Canada, including new immigrants, refugees, First Nations youth, women at risk, street-involved youth, youth with mental health issues, and youth with disabilities. Community partners across Canada identify the youth in need. Additionally, youth may also be referred by teachers, guidance counselors, or principals through an online application. Recipients receive a laptop as well as an orientation, mentoring, or training that ensures that they become familiar with how to use a computer and the Internet.