As the world’s largest provider of language and technology solutions for global business, TransPerfect has no obvious connection with small rural school districts. But by partnering with CFES Brilliant Pathways, TransPerfect has opened its doors to underserved students, showing them a world of possibility as they consider their college and career plans.

In 34 years of preparing young people for a successful life, CFES has helped expose students to careers they did not know existed, in places they never would have discovered on their own.

“When students engage with professionals at TransPerfect, they receive invaluable mentorship and guidance. This exposure not only provides a glimpse into the realities of the professional world but also empowers our scholars to connect their passions with potential career paths, build essential skills, and confidently envision a successful future,” said Tara Smith, co-CEO of CFES Brilliant Pathways.

In turn, TransPerfect is now finding students in underserved rural and urban school districts who have the talent and the ability to fit into their culture.

As part of the process, Dasha Ilazarova, TransPerfect manager of talent acquisition, said the company opens its doors to students for tours and a behind-the-scenes look at corporate offices.

“Students seem a little hesitant, a little taken aback at first,” she said. “Then they start asking questions and getting more involved.”

TransPerfect connects businesses around the world with translation services, breaking the language barrier, but also assimilating products and brands into different cultures. A catchy corporate slogan, for example, can have a very different connotation in other countries.

The company is also on the cutting edge of technology and artificial intelligence and can show students practical applications for these innovations.

TransPerfect representatives also visit students and educators on their own turf, attending workshops to discuss the future of AI, or help students with their resumes. “We’re glad to be able to do that with CFES,” said Manaya Colon, a senior talent acquisition specialist at TransPerfect.

Students who feel they have no practical experience to put on their resumes might be surprised at what will catch a recruiter’s eye. “We do a lot of reading between the lines,” Colon said. So kids are coached to mine their life experiences for real-world applications.

“We sit with them in person and go over their resumes, and we’ll ask things like, have you ever solved a problem?’” she added. “We treat people like people, and when we do they start asking questions and becoming more involved.”

“This partnership provides a crucial platform for our students to learn, experience, and thrive as they navigate their journey towards college and career readiness,” said Smith.

Ilazarova said that Jin Lee, TransPerfect Co-CEO and CFES board member, is an avid mentor and supporter of equal access to quality education for all students. “He has always been super-passionate about giving back to CFES,” says Ilazarova. “We’re working from a place of gratitude and paying it forward to the next generation.”

These young people might otherwise not know about companies such as TransPerfect, nor might they expect that they could become part of a major corporate player. But after working on resumes, visiting corporate offices, and beginning to establish networks, it all starts to make sense.

“We’re giving them the space to be heard and learn that they are wanted and valued, which builds confidence,” Ilazarova said. “They walk through the office and think, ‘This woman looks just like me; I can do this too.”