Milton Hershey School Seniors Gain Career Skills with Mock Interviews

With Commencement just weeks away, Milton Hershey School seniors are actively preparing to take their next steps—whether that means pursuing a college degree or technical program, joining the military, or entering the workforce. One of the many ways students are equipped for life after graduation is through immersive, career-focused experiences, such as mock interviews, that develop essential life and job-readiness skills.

Mock interviews are part of students’ senior seminar course, which helps them explore topics including financial literacy, post-graduation planning, social-emotional learning, job skills, and health care.

The students shared their resumes and engaged in one-on-one interviews with professionals from MHS, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, The Hershey Company, and other organizations. Mock interviews allowed students to articulate their career ambitions, educational goals, and personal experiences while receiving constructive feedback on how to improve their presentation and communication skills.

MHS Career Services Specialist Jenifer Benson, a member of the Career and Technical Education team, advises current students and young MHS graduates through the transition from high school to the workforce or the military. Benson noted that the value of this opportunity lies in the meaningful connections with professionals.

“This was our fifth mock interview event in partnership with the Hershey entities, and it was a great success,” said Benson. “The feedback from the volunteers was positive, and many volunteers remarked that they had great conversations and enjoyed getting to know our seniors’ future career ambitions.”

Mock interviews are one of many valuable experiences that offer students the opportunity to connect classroom learning to the professional world. Career-Focused Education programs in all divisions help students realize the many paths available after graduation and pursue them with confidence. Through hands-on learning, industry certifications, internships, pre-apprenticeships, and more, students build a strong foundation in both technical and soft skills that employers and post-secondary institutions highly value.