The Chamber’s Career Preparation Program, a free in-school training initiative, had a record-breaking fall term, serving 5,309 students between September and December 2013. This represents the largest number of students served in the fall semester since the program began in 2002.
Through 184 workshops in nine school districts throughout Genesee County, Career Prep helped young adults prepare to meet the demands of the new economy with Career Readiness, or, the fourth “R.”
“Not all students will go to college after high school,” said Rhetta Hunyady, Vice President for Education & Training at the Chamber. “The Career Preparation Program enables all students to learn the skills necessary to successfully get a job and keep a job in the highly competitive 21st Century job market.”
The workshops are designed to address state academic requirements related to career preparation. Prior to high school graduation, students are required to establish an Educational Development Plan (EDP) through their local schools. The Career Preparation Program supports the EDP, helping students connect what they are learning in their middle school or high school classroom to the expectations of the workplace.
The ‘no-cost’ Career Prep workshops are a boon to small school districts such as Westwood Heights School District in Mt. Morris Township.
“If we didn’t have the Chamber Career Prep program I don’t know where we would get these high-quality workshops, especially at no cost to the District,” said Pamela Colon, Career Preparation Coordinator for the district.
Workshop topics include Business Etiquette, Application/Resume, Job Search, Interviews, Keeping a Job, Networking/Job Search and Social Media/Networking.
This school year, programming has been presented in: Linden, Flint-Mott Adult, Bendle/Carman, Flushing, Lakeville, Genesee Intermediate School District- Genesee Early College, Goodrich, Mt. Morris and Westwood Heights. In the second half of the 2013-14 school year, Fenton and Swartz Creek school districts will also offer the Career Prep program to their students.
The Career Preparation Program works in partnership with Genesee County K-12 schools, the Genesee Intermediate School District, and other educational institutions. More information about Career Prep.