On March 19, 2026, the DTech Academy (DTech) at Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) hosted its annual Entrée to Employment event. Students and professionals from a variety of fields gathered in the campus Media Center for an evening of networking, mentoring and learning.
The event began at 6 p.m. with opening remarks and introductions as the students and professionals alike took their seats at tables set inside the Media Center. Shortly after, a team of DTech juniors began serving pasta and salad, after which the students had the opportunity to connect with the industry professionals over dinner.
Entrée to Employment acted as a low-stakes practice round for job interviews, mentor relationships and college and career pursuits. DTech seniors engaged in interview rounds with professionals over dinner and dessert courses, learning about pathways to education and beyond.
The visiting professionals commented on the value of networking and interview events such as Entrée to Employment. Larry Heinlein, an engineer who worked on the James Webb Space Telescope and attended the event as an industry professional, spoke about his point of view.
“It’s really great to, as high school students, to meet professionals that are in the field out there and understand how they’ve gotten where they are, what are some of the things that went well, some of the things that didn’t go well, and just learn and realize that these adults out there used to be their age too,” Heinlein said.
Echoing a similar sentiment, Victor Duran, the owner of a biomedical equipment company, discussed the importance of events like Entrée to Employment for students aspiring to go into certain fields and professions.
“I think it’s very important because I didn’t have this when I was younger, going to school. There’s a lot of direction here, a lot of questions, and then there’s things that we had to learn through experience, where here I think you could ask those questions directly at tables of people that are in professions and entrepreneurs and things like that … It’s good to make these connections this early,” Duran said.
Students also spoke on the effectiveness of Entrée to Employment, which is an event held not just by DTech but by various programs at Foothill Tech at different points throughout the school year.
“It’s really important just so kids are introduced to a lot more pathways. A lot of different people come through here and it gives them the opportunity to talk to people who have been in the workforce for years and have a lot of experience in it, so I do really think it’s a great opportunity that should be taken advantage of as much as possible,” Ruby Price ‘27, who ran a booth selling items made by DTech, said.
Entrée to Employment is planned and run by DTech students, from contacting professionals to serving the pasta dinner and dessert. Junior class representatives staff the event while seniors focus on gaining insights into the post-graduation world.
“I worked on [Entrée to Employment] last year and the hardest part is getting everyone together because every adult here has a life and they have different things, different responsibilities that they have at different times … so getting them at this moment to share all of that and … being our mentors means a lot,” Vanessa Flores ‘26 said.
As DTech’s Entrée to Employment drew to an end, students and professionals alike walked out the door while exchanging stories, questions and gratitude. The seniors look toward Senior Tradeshow and graduation, while juniors turn to planning projects and next year’s event. Students walked out the door with an invaluable experience under their belt, ready to use for whatever lies ahead of them.
