From High School Graduate to First Job: How WorkBC Helped Mack Take the Next Step
August 31, 2026
For a recent high school graduate, finding that first job can feel like a daunting step. With limited employment experience, limited knowledge of the job search process and transportation challenges, Mack was looking for support to get started.
Mack came to the Langley WorkBC Centre after graduating high school. She was eager to begin working and was particularly interested in full-time, entry-level opportunities in customer service or food service. Because she had limited access to transit, she was focused on finding employment in the Langley City area that she could reach by walking.
Personalized Support to Build Confidence
WorkBC provided Mack with individualized employment support tailored to her circumstances and employment goals.
As part of her job-search preparation, Mack participated in the Hidden Job Market and Interview Skills workshops. These workshops helped her develop practical job-search strategies, understand how to identify employment opportunities and strengthen her interview skills.
The support made a difference. Mack reported that she learned a lot from the Interview Skills workshop and felt more prepared going into interviews.
Her Career Coach also worked with her one-on-one to review and strengthen her resume. Once Mack was ready to move forward, her Career Coach connected her with Job Development for additional employer-focused support.
A First Job That Fits
Mack’s hard work, combined with the support she received through WorkBC, helped her successfully secure her first job as a Customer Service/Food Counter Attendant with McDonald’s.
She began full-time employment on September 2, 2026. The position provides the full-time hours she was seeking, a shift that meets her needs and a commute within walking distance of her home.
For Mack, this is more than just a first job. It is an important first step into the workforce and one that matches her goals, circumstances and transportation needs.
Supporting Youth on Their Path to Employment
Mack’s experience demonstrates how the Langley WorkBC Centre helps young people move from uncertainty to employment by providing individualized career coaching, practical workshops, resume support and connections to employers.
For job seekers who are entering the workforce for the first time, WorkBC offers more than help finding job postings. The Centre helps clients build the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to navigate the employment process and take their next step toward sustainable employment.
Mack’s journey shows what can happen when a motivated job seeker has the right support at the right time: a first job, a new opportunity and a confident start to her career journey.
