Giving students skills to find employment

SMITHVILLE -- Having debuted last spring, the Career Leadership Program will be back for an encore performance in April.

Lynn Moomaw, director of operations and adult education for the Wayne County Schools Career Center, told board members in her March meeting report the program is "an excellent example of the power of career and technical education partnered with local business to produce highly skilled students prepared to enter the local work force."

Moomaw reviewed for the program's inception through Dee Vaidya, then chairman of the Wooster Area Chamber of Commerce, who took a tour of the Career Center and "began to envision a program that focused on improving soft skills."

"It was (Vaidya's) brainchild," said Jean Boen, placement coordinator, in a separate interview. "All the credit goes to him."

Vaidya wanted to understand, based on the excellent resources available, why a "skills gap" remains in Wayne County.

According to Boen, he wanted to pinpoint the reason some graduates struggle to find employment and likewise clarify the problems faced by employers seeking employees.

Boen pointed out employers have said it is difficult to find employees who are drug-free, as well as to hire people who not only have the technical skills needed for the job, but also the soft ones, such as the ability to communicate and to understand the big picture.

Vaidya and Justin Starlin, president of the Wooster Area Chamber of Commerce, were "integral," Boen said, in putting together the collaboration of businesses working together on this pilot program.

The Career Leadership Program, combining classroom instruction and off-site experience, was introduced last year with seven students; this year 15 students will participate, and the Orrville Chamber of Commerce has jumped on board, Boen said.

Spherion Staffing will augment curriculum with helping students learn how to present themselves, Boen said, from beginning with a proper handshake to remaining attentive.

The company will also hone students' interview skills.

The future employees' work ethic also will be tackled through involvement with the Center for Work Ethic Development.

With the addition of the new curriculum, "Bring Your A Game to Work," Moomaw said in her report, "our students will spend time focusing on work ethic development principles, which will be reinforced during their time with local business executives."

Students will even be hearing from an insurance agent about risk management, taking the issue from the classroom to an actual business, where students will gain personal understanding of its importance, according to Boen.

In choosing participants, Career Center instructors were asked to nominate students highly skilled in their career/tech program, but needing a boost with soft skills, Boen said. "I think we've got a great class this year."

All of the students who took the course last year are either employed or attending college, Boen said.

The 13 sessions will run from April 7-May 6.

Other partners include RBB Systems, Cleveland Clinic, LuK USA, Whitaker-Myers Insurance Agency, Wooster Brush Company, JLG and Jarrett Logistics Systems.

Reporter Linda Hall can be reached at 330-264-1125, Ext. 2230, or [email protected].