Spotlight: Chess Bridging the Gap from College to Career with Florian Helff

The transition from college to career can be a challenging time. Since the beginning of the pandemic it can be even more difficult for recent graduates to make the necessary connections to find employment. At the same time, the challenge of recruiting reliable workers has become an expensive and at times frustrating process for employers.

Common interests are a great way to make connections with potential employers or employees – whether you went to the same college, came from the same hometown, or root for the same sports team. These connections provide an “in” from which to build a meaningful relationship. These genuine network connections can lead to the right-fit employees getting matched with the right-fit employers.

Chess is a shared interest that communicates unique strengths a player is likely to have. For example, a chess player who meets another chess player knows that person probably has practice at problem solving, planning, strategic thinking, extended focus, managing and allocating resources, and sportsmanship. What better way to connect with a potential employer or employee?

Florian Helff sees these advantages to chess and its practical application. Few people will grow up to have chess be their direct career path but many chess players can reap the benefits of chess in their careers.

Read about the steps Florian is taking to bridge the gap between college and career here!

Spotlight: Robert Katende, Coach of the Queen of Katwe

What do you call the coach of a queen?

This week’s Chess4Life Spotlight guest Robert Katende is just that. He was the coach of Phiona Mutesi, the “Queen of Katwe” (you can even see Robert in the Disney film!). Though Phiona may be Robert’s most well-known student, he has impacted many other lives as well. His organization has helped over 25,000 children!

Robert believes that “everyone has a seed of excellence that needs to be nurtured to harness their God-given abilities” and he believes that chess can help provide that nurturing. Robert and his team use chess as a platform to set kids on a meaningful life trajectory. Even having tangible goals (like chess goals) to dream for and work for can help these children tremendously in life. 

Chess affords children the opportunity to develop the inner belief that they are problem solvers. This self-knowledge can give them the confidence to make it in life. Robert also sees the numerous academic benefits of chess and how it helps develop essential thinking skills. Overall, chess allows for the transformation of mindset, which Robert believes is one of the first steps in learning.

Now he aims to open a school servicing 800 children per year. Check out the full article here!