Wikipedia as career counseling tool for teenagers
Author: Tamara Grigoryan
Social Media channels or hashtags: Armenian Wikipedia, WikiClubs
Summary: Teenagers who attend Wikimedia Armenia's wikiclubs have many opportunities for development. Editing on Wikipedia is a career counseling tool for teenagers. Some teenagers write articles about their future professions and start getting useful knowledge for their future career.
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Lena Ghazaryan from Karvachar Wikiclub -
Mariam Sargsyan at Alaverdi Wikiclub with an English teacher -
Tatev Araqelyan from Arevatsag wikiclub
Wikiclubs of Wikimedia Armenia always give a great chance to teenagers for development. Teenagers, who attend to wikiclubs in rural areas of Republic of Armenia and Artsakh can take part in different wiki-projects.
Editing Wikipedia gives not only lingual and translation skills but also can help in choosing a future career or help acquiring more knowledge in an already chosen one.
Mariam Sargsyan (17) from Alaverdi wikiclub is editing Wikipedia for about 2 years. Mariam has not yet chose a career but is sure that editing Wikipedia will help her to find out her preferences.
I always had inclination to study languages and Wikipedia unearthed translator skills hidden in me. Wikiworld helped me to realize that languages are not just a stack of words and grammatical rules nor just a way of communication. You shall befriend the language and speak to him.
Karvachar wikiclub member Lena Ghazaryan (15) is editing Wikipedia for already 3 years.
Presently I am mainly editing articles which can give me a knowledge to use in my future profession. I have decided to become a journalist and writing articles on that topic. So, editing is not only pleasant and interesting but also useful; it helps to understand journalism with all of its aspects. I’m learning lot of professional terms while writing an article. I am learning about changes in journalism during the history, genres of journalism.
She has already made about 20 articles about the profession. “I have made articles about periodicals, journalists, genres of journalism, TV programs. First it was difficult, now I am translating easily as I build a professional glossary”.
Tatev Arakelyan (16), editor from Arevatsag wikiclub is working in Wikipedia for 5 years. Tatev chose to become an accountant and started to edit articles linked to the profession.
These articles give me useful knowledge, interesting information. They have great importance for me as I’ll use them in future as well.
Tatev has started editing articles linked to her future profession recently. “I have created 4-5 articles yet as I edit on other topics as well.” She intends to continue enrich Wikipedia with professional articles.
Besides editing articles various educational events are periodically organized at wikiclubs. “During one of such kind of events at Alaverdi wikiclub I met the best professions of different spheres who presented their jobs and it helped me in choosing future profession”, tells Mariam (Alaverdi wikiclub).
Choosing the right profession is both difficult and responsible decision. Editing in Wikipedia is a career counseling tool which is recommended directly by the teenagers.