The Power of Showing Up: The Business Community’s Role in Preparing Oregon’s Next Generation
When we talk about preparing the next generation for college, careers and life, the conversation often focuses on what students need to learn.
But preparing young people for what comes next is not the responsibility of schools alone. Oregon’s business community has an important role to play, too. Students need opportunities to see what the world of work actually looks like. They need to meet people who are doing the work, ask questions, explore careers they may not have considered and practice the skills they will eventually use in the workplace.
Sometimes, that starts with something as simple as showing up.
A business professional sharing their career story. A mentor answering a student’s questions. A volunteer conducting a mock interview. A business leader listening to a student’s idea and offering feedback. For a student, these moments can open the door to possibilities they may never have seen before.
Showing Up Is a Two-Way Investment
The value of connecting business professionals with students is not one-directional. It is an investment that benefits both sides. Students gain exposure, confidence, relationships, and a better understanding of what is possible. Business professionals gain opportunities to develop their own leadership and mentoring skills while connecting with the future workforce.
One Business Week volunteer described the experience this way:
“Volunteering at Business Week is truly the highlight of my year. It’s easy to become a bit jaded at times, but spending time with our future leaders and entrepreneurs renews my optimism every year. This group of students was exceptional, and I’m excited to see the impact they will have on the future.”
That experience is an important reminder that investing in young people can benefit the people doing the investing, too. Working with students can remind professionals why their work matters, challenge them to think differently and reconnect them with the excitement and possibility that comes with being at the beginning of a career. Another Business Week volunteer reflected on a similar experience, saying:
“I walked away with a renewed conviction that the next generation of leaders isn’t coming; they’re already here, already working, already thinking in ways that make me want to be sharper. The energy in that room was the kind you can’t manufacture. You just have to be lucky enough to be in it.”
That kind of exchange is what makes business and education partnerships so valuable. The relationship is not simply about what adults can teach students. It is also about what happens when different generations learn from one another.
Building a Stronger Oregon Starts With Connection
Every year, students across Oregon begin making decisions about college, careers and their futures. Not every student has the same access to professional networks or people who can help them navigate those decisions. That is something the business community can help change. We do not all have to become mentors. We do not all have to commit to a yearlong volunteer role. Sometimes it starts with an hour.
Judge a student presentation. Conduct an informational interview. Share your career story. Introduce a student to someone in your field. The impact of volunteering is not always measured by the amount of time you give. Sometimes it is measured by what a student sees as possible because you showed up.
Oregon’s businesses will need talented, adaptable and engaged people for years to come. Preparing that workforce starts long before a student submits their first job application. When businesses invest their time, experience and relationships in young people, they are helping students build more than career skills. They are helping them develop confidence, expand their networks and understand the possibilities available to them.
And that matters for Oregon.
The students sitting in classrooms today will become the employees, entrepreneurs, leaders and community members shaping Oregon in the years ahead. The experiences they have now can influence how they see themselves, the opportunities they pursue and the contributions they make.
Get Involved
Whether you are a young professional, business leader, or someone with decades of experience, there is something you can offer a young person. Volunteer, share your expertise, or donate today to help prepare the next generation for college, careers, and life.
