West Aurora Weisner Center welcomed 28 business partners on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, for an advisory meeting and student mock interviews. Business partners provided input on the technical and essential employability skills needed for today’s workforce, shared current and projected hiring trends, and listened to capstone student presentations during the advisory.
Following the advisory, business partners conducted 15-minute mock interviews with all students enrolled in the Building Trades, Precision Machining, and Welding programs at the Weisner Center. Authentic experiences, such as mock interviews, are critical to students’ success in Career and Technical Education pathways as they navigate their post-secondary journeys.
A special thanks to GCAMP for providing the breakfast and to all the organizations that contributed to the development of authentic workplace skills, including: Airgas, American Standard Circuits, Amsted Automotive, Axis Designs, Business and Career Services, Cresswood Shredding Machinery, Diamond Envelope, FH Paschen, GCAMP, Junior Achievement, Manpower, MTH Pumps, North Central Illinois Finishing Trades Institute (Painters District Council 30), Overstreet Builders, RHM Staffing Solutions, Smith and Richardson, Timken Aurora Bearing, TOX Pressotechnik, and Waubonsee Community College.
A special note about this year’s event: Janette Rodriguez, Recruiter from Manpower, has participated in the mock interview event for several years. She has placed Weisner Center welding graduates into Manpower companies in direct-to-hire positions and is a champion of the workplace experiences students receive at Weisner. Janette had the honor of interviewing her own son, Jeziah Campos, at this year’s event. Jeziah is a junior in the welding program and credits his mom with encouraging him to complete a skilled trades class.
