23rd ANNUAL CAREERS CONFERENCE 2009

Community-Hosted Career Expos

Sue Gloss, Career Specialist/CDFSt. Charles High Schools

St. Charles, ILsusan.gloss@d303.org

Jane Harris, Private Consultant/CDF

Geneva, ILjwh1233@sbcglobal.net

“From Inspiration to Application”

Career Expo Partners

Judy Smith, RNDirector, Service, Excellence and Outreach

Delnor Community Hospital Geneva, IL

Susan Dahl, Education SpecialistFermilab

Batavia, IL

Terry Robinson, Marketing DirectorPheasant Run Resort

St. Charles, IL

“Something Fun” for Jane

16 CAREER CLUSTERS

1. Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources 9. Hospitality & Tourism

2. Architecture & Construction 10. Human Services

3. Arts, A/V Technology, & Communication 11. Information Technology

4. Business, Management & Administration 12. Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security

5. Education & Training 13. Manufacturing

6. Finance 14. Marketing, Sales & Service

7. Government & Public Administration 15. Science, Engineering, Technology & Math

8. Health Science 16. Transportation, Distribution & Logistics

Brief outline of our presentation…

Community-Hosted Career Expos

• Short history on how this concept began

• Our belief about current career education

• How this concept reflects a 21st Century “attitude”

• Template for implementing expos

• More from our business partners

• A vision for the future…

In the beginning…

Community-Hosted Career Expos November 2006, Jane Harris phones me with an idea!

We need a neutral location Apr. 2007, 1st Annual Health Careers Expo at Delnor Hospital Oct. 2007, contact Fermilab; 1st Annual STEM Expo, Feb. 2008

Oct. 2008, contact Pheasant Run Resorts; 1st Annual Hospitality/Tourism/Arts/Athletics Expo, Nov. 2009

The future: To have all 16 Career Clusters represented at an ongoing Annual Expo in the community…

We feel this is IMPORTANT

Community-Hosted Career Expos

Because…

OUR BELIEF

Career Education Has Hit a Crossroad

The way we teach students about careers in schools is no longer working.

The world today is progressing at too rapid a pace for schools to keep up with the changes.

By the time schools bring into the classroom the latest and greatest industry innovations— industry has already moved on to something new.

OUR BELIEF

Career Education Has Hit a Crossroad

It is not the fault of schools—educators are doing their best with limited resources and time.

Unlike businesses, schools are not for profit— there is no need to beat the competition or answer to stockholders, and so limited resources result.

OUR BELIEF

Career Education Has Hit a Crossroad

Until we discover a better way to meet this challenge—it seems we plod along with blinders on, hoping it will all work out for students someday anyway.

OUR BELIEF

Career Education Has Hit a Crossroad

But at a time when the world is getting smaller and everyone is connected—

We believe, in order for schools to produce the kind of future workforce our society needs—

Schools need to get better at getting connected to the rest of the world too!

OUR PHILOSOPHY

A New “Attitude” in Career Education

Today’s students are multi-dimensional, interactive, and connected

If we want to engage students in their futures—

Then we need to engage students in a career education process that reflects a “21st Century Attitude”

OUR GOALS

A New “Attitude” in Career Education

WE CAN…

Bridge the current disconnect between what industry needs and what schools can deliver

Infuse a “theme” into career education

INTEGRATE CAREER AWARENESS

3 Objectives:

Objective 1: To assist all students

Objective 2: To assist all teachers and counselors

Objective 3: To connect with the business community and with other academic institutions

A Four-Phase Plan

Career Education With a 21st Century “Attitude”

1. Community Hosted Career Expos

2. Business Partner Steering Committee

3. Career Centers

4. Comprehensive K-12 Career Development Plan

Phase One

“Annual” Community-Hosted Career Expos

A “capstone” event

Students prepare for their futures by connecting with industry professionals and academic institutions

Industry professionals talk with students and provide current and relevant data on occupations, labor market information, and educational pathways

The “worksite” location takes the student out of the high school environment and sets a tone of maturity to the experience

Helps students develop important soft skills, like networking

“Annual” expos grant educators time and confidence to incorporate lesson plans

Schools can plan ahead and advertise expos throughout the year making careers and career clusters a meaningful concept

Testimonial

Judy Smith, RN Director, Service, Excellence and Outreach

Delnor HospitalGeneva, Illinois

HEALTH CAREEER EXPO

Testimonial

Susan Dahl Education Specialist

FermilabBatavia, Illinois

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY,ENGINEERING & MATH

STEM CAREER EXPO

Phase Two

Business Partner Steering Committee

A Community Partnerships evolves from Expo hosts and

the business participants

Business Partners gain privilege to represent their industry in the schools, through the “Career Centers”

Imagine: A Career Center that is an exciting, interactive model with the business community and our schools working together to provide the “best looking” most “state-of-the art” space

Phase Three

The Career Centers

Career Centers: 16 Career Clusters

Ideally in all K-12 schools

Business Partners design space with their logos; Career Centers look more “corporate” than “academic”

Offsite Business Partners provide “real time” industry info into schools via plasma TV’s and computers

The Career Center becomes a “depot” where students, parents, teachers and counselors find industry driven career education information and opportunities

Phase Four

Comprehensive K-12 Career Development Plan

A curriculum that ties everything together

Industry and Schools collaborate to make career education relevant and meaningful for students

Schools do not need to recreate the wheel—industry has the research, they already know when and how to reach students

The Solution

Career Education with a “21st Century Attitude”

We do not all need to be the experts—but, we need to work together.

We need to connect with our business community to know how to accurately represent their industry, engage students, and properly prepare a generation for the jobs that will be waiting for them in the future.

The success of industry and our students’ future, depends on how well we make these vital connections!