Careers expo recap

On June 17 and 18, Toastmasters had a stand at the Wellington careers expo. Around 25 local members generously volunteered their time to explain the benefits of Toastmasters to high school students, their parents, teachers - and other stallholders.

Sarah Hewitt (Island Bay Toastmasters) and Margaret Austin (Capital Breakfast Toastmasters) at the Wellington careers expo.

Friday was the most intense day with busloads of students arriving constantly from local high schools. The scavenger hunt activity at our stand proved popular, especially with a candy prize on offer! During the morning we were very pleased to receive a visit from Wadestown School's youth leadership course. Guided by Rob Julian of Capital Toastmasters, the students presented some rousing Table Topics from the expo stage, attracting a lot of attention and interest in Toastmasters.

Students search through information at our stand for answers to the scavenger hunt questions.

Photo: Ed Atienza (Te Aro Toastmasters)

On Saturday things were quieter and there was a chance for our volunteers to wander around the expo and speak to other stallholders. That proved to be quite successful, with several staff members asking for information about club meetings near them. As well as Wellington clubs, we fielded queries about clubs in Dannevirke, Christchurch and Dunedin. Just as well we had lots of flyers with the national club finder address!

All in all the expo was a success and very enjoyable for everyone involved. Look out for recent high school graduates visiting your club in the near future.

Toastmasters is at the Careers Expo!

Young people entering the workforce stand to gain a lot by joining Toastmasters. Practicing impromptu speaking helps a job seeker prepare for interviews, and developing confidence helps them get ready to put themselves forward for positions. As well, Toastmasters helps people learn to present information clearly and persuasively, which can help a new employee get ready for the workplace presentation that will inevitably happen one day.

To make sure that school leavers can connect with us and get all these benefits, Toastmasters has had a presence at the Careers Expo over the past month. Christchurch and Auckland expos were both in May, and this week, it's Wellington's turn.

The Auckland careers expo team

Photo: Marlene Krone

On Friday and Saturday (June 17-18), a team of enthusiastic local Toastmasters will be at TSB Arena, speaking to students and explaining how Toastmasters can help them. We'll be rubbing shoulders with education providers like Victoria University and Weltec, as well as employers such as the District Health Board and the Defence Forces.

The Toastmasters of Wellington are excited about the opportunity. When they were asked to help, responses ranged from "I'm very interested" to one keen person who said "Me! Me! Pick me!". A total of 25 volunteers will be rotating through the stand over the two days - a wonderful turnout that means we'll have enough people to run a few Table Topics sessions on the expo's central stage. Huge thanks to everyone who's offered to spend some time on the stand.

If you know a young person who'll be visiting the Careers Expo, tell them to be sure to visit the Toastmasters stand! We'll have World Champion speeches onscreen, a scavenger hunt/quiz, and lots of information to share. We're looking forward to meeting the next generation of Toastmasters!