From left, Regina Loup, Bill Bubrig of Bubrig Insurance, Rebecca Hice and Candi Havard.

PABI business leaders lunched with the Journey to Career students recently at the Belle Chasse Auditorium.  The members sat with the students during the lunch. Students used the time to question the business people and practice their newly acquired business etiquette skills.  Afterward, the business leaders spoke to the group in two to four minute sessions about initial steps needed to be successful in business.  The tips ran the gamut from professional dress, positive attitudes to social networking via internet.

Journey to Careers is a new mandated freshman course. The class allows the students to explore career pathways.  New 2014 Louisiana mandates proclaim that all students must graduate with a completed pathway.  This process is much like declaring a major in college.

The culminating activity of the class is two-fold. The first portion is to attend a business lunch in order to hone in on networking skills and basic etiquette. The second portion is that students are rated using a rubric during a mock interview by local business leaders. The mock interview will be conducted within the next week.

Many agencies came together to provide this opportunity for the Plaquemines Parish students. PPSO cooked the lunch which was provided by PABI. Other businesses offering their support include: Danica Ansardi of Ansardi Financial; Jeff White of Subway; Glenn Mistich of Gourmet Butcher Block and Michella Ford of Riverbend Nursing Home.

From front, from left, Rae Chauvin, Haley Cavalier, Alexandra Swain, Alex Andrade, Kayleigh Taylor and businessman Dan Cousins.