Dec 27, 2019
By Katrina Goodrich
I’ve recently been going through a hiring phase at my workplace. We are in the process of expanding and experiencing growing pains associated with bringing on new staff. In that process it’s becoming more evident than ever before that more and more people have no idea how to appropriately function in the workplace. I am willing to work on that and train to make certain they have the skills for the job they will be performing—but there is still something missing. Some job candidates want to have a job but don’t actually want to work or don’t understand what work entails. They have to be taught the basic knowledge of the job and then how to do it. They must also be taught what it means to work.
Foreign concepts are things like showing up on time, finding out what they can do if they aren’t busy and going the extra mile, and making sure they are actually doing the job they’re getting paid to do—not just talking to their co-workers. Ideally, these are all fixable problems with a quick conversation; then down the road, if we must, make an improvement plan. Honestly, things don’t usually get to an improvement plan—usually the person quits or just stops showing up all together. I’ve seen this with adults, young adults, and oldish young adults like myself, and I wonder why an ever-growing portion of the population doesn’t seem to understand how to work. Guess what! It’s because no one ever taught them how.
Contrary to popular belief, people are not born with the innate understanding of what work is and how to comport themselves appropriately while performing work. I feel very fortunate that I grew up with parents who not only modelled, but also encouraged me and gave me opportunities to practice these sorts of concepts. Another thing that really helped me learn was being a part of General Conference. Granted my parents had to get me there (so this is part of that whole opportunities thing), but I learned so much by going to the business meetings and then, as I got older, participating in them. Let me tell you, if as an awkward 16-year-old, you can read a committee report on the floor of Conference, presenting ideas that you helped write—I think you’ll do alright in a boardroom. Those are the sorts of experiences you don’t forget, lessons that you learn that are extremely valuable. Those are the sorts of experiences that most people have never been given.
One of the big things for SCSCers to do is to attend Conference and be involved in its activities. Even if the project isn’t part of Conference, they’re still expected to attend and be involved. But Conference costs money. The Dorthea Shettel Fund was set up to make sure that SCSC students can attend Conference and continue to put their new and improved leadership skills to work in different contexts. This fund provides financial aid to pay for SCSC students’ Conference expenses so that they can attend and be involved in General Conference. Attending and being involved in General Conference is an invaluable experience. It is a learning opportunity for the students, many of whom would not be able to attend without the financial assistance the Dorthea Shettel Fund offers. As with any fund—it is finite and requires some replenishment. So in this new year, as SCSC student applications are coming in (they’re due January 8!), prayerfully consider budgeting to allow a donation to the Dorthea Shettel Fund and help give an SCSCer the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills that will last them a lifetime.