About HW Works: The Career CENTER at Harvard-Westlake

HW Works is the source for job, internship, research, career, and employment information at Harvard-Westlake. We strive to empower Harvard-Westlake students and alumni in developing the skills, knowledge, experiences, and connections they need to manage their careers.

Our Approach
Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance
Our Mission
Our Values
OPPORTUNITIES
  • Works Peer Educators (Coming 2024-25)

    Works Peer Educators (Coming 2024-25)

    The Works Peer Educator (WPE) program will be an integral part of the Career Institute at Harvard-Westlake. Although changes to a WPE's role will occur as the role evolves, this program should be essential to HW Works and the services we provide.

    The WPE position is an exciting opportunity for students and alumni to help peers, develop employability skills, and get an inside look at how employers recruit--all of this with the convenience of working part-time on campus. Our services are delivered both in-person and virtually. If our offices are not open on campus, you will be working remotely.

    We serve current and prospective students, alumni in college, and both college and alumni who are recent graduates as well as local, national, and international employers. Our community is diverse and we aim to reflect that diversity and inclusion in our own staff and the way we work.

    Each year, the Career Centre will hire 6 student staff to act as CPEs. Middle and Upper School students are welcome to apply. Our CPEs will be capped working no more than 5 hours each week during the academic year, providing a broad range of career-related services to students.

    Role of a WPE

    • Provide service on behalf of HW Works at the middle and upper schools.
    • Conduct advising appointments related to career management and work search strategies; resumes and cover letters; and interview strategies.
    • Prepare and deliver group sessions to a wide variety of audiences about career-related topics.
    • Participate in hosting employer information sessions, speaker series, career fairs and other events.
    • Support the work of the Career Centre as a whole (e.g. research, resource development, special projects).

    Benefits of being a WPE

    • Building critical transferable skills like advising, presentation, research, customer service, time management, organization, and critical thinking skills
    • One week of training at the start and ongoing on-the-job training, support and professional development opportunities
    • Supporting peers as they build career management skills.
    • An inside look at how employers recruit.
    • The opportunity to be part of a fun, diverse, and dynamic team.
    • Personal access to HW Works’ many useful services and resources.

    Applying for the 2024/25 WPE Position

    We are currently accepting applications for the 2024/25 WPE position. You will find the posting, with application instructions on The Platform.

    The deadline for applications is June 5, 2024

    WPEs attend a week of training before the start of the academic year.

    Questions

    For questions about becoming a CPE, contact Kwaisi France at kfrance@hw.com or 818-487-6510

HW Works Staff
  • Kwaisi France
    Kwaisi France
    Director of HW Works
    Read Bio >
    Kwaisi France
    Kwaisi France
    Director of HW Works

    Kwaisi France directs and manages HW Works, the Career Institute at Harvard-Westlake assisting students, alumni, faculty, and employer clients in the development of career education, career identification and search, and pursuit of employment opportunities commensurate with formal academic pursuits. Kwaisi’s job is to continually expand the client/user base and scope of services to ensure provision of the widest array of services possible to the broadest mix of academic and organizational clients. He constantly monitors, analyzes, and evaluates the current scope of services offered through HW Works and plans, implements, and directs new programs of Colleges and Employers (NACE) and those regional affiliates which provide broad opportunities for job development activities.

    Additionally, Kwaisi is responsible in ensuring that HW Works is:

    • Providing career advising expertise to students and alumni regarding the job-search process, interviewing, resume, and letter writing, and all other facets of career planning. 
    • Conducting workshops, seminars, and other presentations to student, faculty, employer, and alumni groups.
    • Serving as the primary liaison between Harvard-Westlake, its students and alumni, and potential employers on a state, regional, national, and international scale. 
    • Responsible for fiscal planning and management for career services, including all operations and staffing matters.
    • Advising and interfacing with representatives of industrial, governmental, and educational employers to assist in the most effective use of career services' efforts. 
    • Supporting the marketing of other Harvard-Westlake efforts.
    • Developing new contacts with external organizations for the purpose of expanding employment opportunities for students and alumni. 
    • Reviewing and supervising the on-campus recruitment and interviewing processes as well as resume referral and job-listing services for current students as well as alumni. 
    • Closely coordinating communication with deans, department chairs, and other faculty to ensure that career services are meeting the needs and desires of Harvard-Westlake’s departments, within the limitations imposed by the size of the staff and financial support provided by the school.