Educators in the Workplace: Chamber program preparing students for workforce through their teachers
The Owensboro Chamber of Commerce is partnering with educators to prepare students for different sectors in the workforce.
Educators in the Workplace is a program that provides opportunities for educators to tour local facilities and speak with businesses about operations and expectations of employees.
“It is designed to allow teachers to gain exposure to what is available in the workplace in the Greater Owensboro area,” said Ashtin Warren, director of talent programs at the Chamber
The educators participating in the program will go to different businesses throughout the year in four sessions to tour and discuss what they’ve seen and how to relate to students in the classroom and what opportunities are available to them.
On Thursday, the teachers visited Sun Windows, Mizkan America and Owensboro Community and Technical College for the manufacturing session. Upcoming sessions include IT and STEM, healthcare and transportation and logistics.
“This allows (educators) to become more aware of what expectations employers have,” Warren said. “We are starting to talk about how ‘14 is the new 12’ and how college can be for everyone.”
Within the education sector, “14 is the new 12” is a slogan meaning 14 years of education should be the expectation for all students, rather than 12. This means after high school, there would be an expectation for students to complete at least two years of postsecondary schooling, whether that’s at a college or a trade school.
OCTC has a program called GO Careers that sponsors companies like Sun Windows, allowing employees to work at the business for three days and using the other two days to attend classes at the college.
“Businesses want students to graduate from high school,” Warren said. “We have to work on the exposure and help students know that there is a program out there for them.”
Aaron Aud, exceptional needs teacher at Owensboro High School, is a member of the program and on Thursday, the teachers learned that “soft skills” are part of the basics that employees need to focus on, along with other aspects of a job.
Soft skills are those that include showing up for work on time, understanding requirements, being safe and following procedures.
“There is some education and training that goes into certain positions,” Aud said. “Some employees may move along in the hiring and training process if they show they’re willing to learn and train.”
Aud said educators have to communicate with students about how what they teach them will be used in life after high school and in the workforce.
“We were told that the same things getting in the way of students achieving in the classroom, like attendance and being distracted by technology, are the same things that will hinder them,” he said.
Daviess County High School agriculture teacher Chad Askins, another program participant, said teachers are the “last leg of the train” in secondary education before students enter the workforce.
“It’s important that the students serve the community as best as possible,” he said. “We can keep good paying jobs here with good workers and a workforce that can sustain it.”
Before becoming a teacher, Askins was a union electrician for nine years.
“I think I was asked to join this program because I have prior knowledge of the workforce and had a glimpse of the ‘real world’,” he said.
Askins said Candance Castlen Brake, Chamber CEO and president, and Warren have done “amazing work” in getting this program organized and that it is a great opportunity.
By Kara Wilson Messenger-Inquirer