EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOP Youth CareerConnect National Grantee Meeting Washington, D.C. Thursday, July 16,

Purpose of This Session What Employers can do for the YCC Grants How to work with employers Panel 2

THE WHAT… 3

Core Element 2: Employer Engagement Employer activities that involve the interaction between participants and the workplace, work-based learning, and mentoring Helping to define the program strategies and goals: b) Assisting with curriculum development and program design, including the ability to incorporate real-world, industry-relevant STEM projects; c) Providing resources to support education/training (such as equipment, facilities, instructors, funding, internships, Registered Apprenticeships, and other work-based training opportunities, where applicable. 4

Core Element 2: Employer Engagement d) Providing participants with mentorship opportunities for at least one year based on a work-based learning model within the industry sector identified during the participant’s career exploration; e) Facilitating externships and other forms of professional development and training for teachers, faculty, and guidance counselors… mentor school staff to ensure that alignment between the program and the identified industry/sector is sustained and that school staff have appropriate information to guide participants to a career path in the industry sector; f) Engaging participants by providing field trips… participating in speaking engagements … and offering job shadowing opportunities …

Core Element 2: Employer Engagement g)… project-based learning opportunities through paid/unpaid internships, … Registered Apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships are also examples of project-based learning. h) Providing ongoing technical assistance including active participation on an advisory board; i) Giving hiring preference to participants who complete the grant-funded education and training program; and j) Engaging populations historically underrepresented in H-1B fields, such as females and minorities.

THE HOW.. 7

Working with Employers… The Bottom Line is the bottom line! Return-on-Investment Talking to Employers

What you want from Employers… Occupations in Demand Skills sets needed for those occupations How it will change in the future Support/Collaboration for students to learn and teachers to teach those SKILL SETS (work-based learning, mentoring, etc.)

Wasting Time… Meetings with Employers Meetings should be for consensus and discussion Not for dissemination of information… Convenient times and places for employers ( not just educators ) Listen to what they are saying (you might be doing it already but they don’t know it…that should tell you something!) Respond to Requests Educational Jargon Talk the bottom line Be Flexible in delivering programs--Flexible with Structure; time frame, etc. Reference: YCC July Newsletter, “Keep Them Close!” by Russell Hamm, Ph.D.

Panel Darryl Bonds, School District No. 1, City and County of Denver Erika Sweeney, Manufacturing Renaissance, Chicago Chip Schwartz, Columbus Technologies