CPEhr and Junior Achievement Prepare High-School Students for the Workforce

Los Angeles, CA, July 24, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Los Angeles HR Consulting firm CPEhr, and Junior Achievement, a non-profit organization, hosted a Job Shadow Day for 30 high-students from Downtown Business Magnets High School.

Students participated in a workshop that included presentations on labor law, successful interviewing techniques, career, passion & money, and professionalism. The topics were facilitated by CPEhr employee volunteers. During the workshop, students learned how to identify both successful and unsuccessful interview candidates by role-playing job interviews.

CPEhr and Junior Achievement jointly hosted the job shadowing day in an effort to prepare students for their first job. The event introduced the students of Downtown Magnets High-School to a human resources firm that provides direction to its clients in tasks like developing a safety program, administering performance appraisals, processing payroll and providing training and development.

“Job shadowing was not only a way for us to prepare students for their first job, but to positively influence their success in high-school,” said Monique Stennis, Marketing Specialist at CPEhr. “As stated by the Society of Human Resources Management, participation in school-to-work programs can improve students’ attendance, grades and graduation rates. Working with Junior Achievement allowed CPEhr to have a positive impact on the students of Downtown Business Magnets High-school.”

In the labor law training, Rocio Espinoza-Rojas, human resources manager at CPEhr advised students on the costly mistake that many interviewers make when they ask job interview questions that are illegal and protected by state and federal laws which include: age, marital status, pregnancy, children, day-care arrangements, disabilities, religion, race and national origin.

Students gained first hand exposure to the day-to-day activities performed throughout the Human Resources firm as they shadowed professionals in Administration, Business Development, Human Resources, Recruitment, and Training and Development departments. Each volunteer had an average of two to three students who performed tasks like conducting a telephone customer satisfaction survey with a client, developing a 401K presentation and answering the phones and handling inquires at the front desk reception area.

"It was our goal to ensure that the students were involved with the activities that professional volunteers do in their jobs,” said Stennis. “This gave each student the opportunity to perform a function that they would not have done without shadowing an employee.”

About CPEhr:
Los Angeles Human Resources Outsourcing firm CPEhr was founded in 1982 and is one of the largest, privately owned HR and Professional Employer Outsourcing (PEO) firms in California. With 25 years experience in the California market, CPEhr has an advantage in its knowledge of statewide employment challenges. CPEhr provides a personalized service that extends to 35 states. CPEhr offers an array of integrated human resources services that include: Employee administration, human resources and labor law compliance, payroll and tax administration, benefits administration and compliance, workers’ compensation administration, risk management, training and development and recruitment. CPEhr is an HR partner to small to mid-sized businesses. By outsourcing their human resources, CPEhr clients are able to focus on executing strategies that deliver profitability and cost-savings.

About Junior Achievement:
Junior Achievement of Southern California, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. Since its founding in 1919, Junior Achievement has contributed to the business and economic education of more than 79 million young people around the world.

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