Businesses hear about career education

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Local business people got another chance to hear what three local schools are doing to foster career education and workforce development during Friday morning’s Van Wert Area Chamber of Commerce Coffee in Vantage Career Center’s .

The event was supposed to feature a legislative update from U.S. Representative Bob Latta, but Latta could not attend because of the death of his mother. Two of his representatives did attend the meeting, though, to talk with local business people about their concerns.

First up was Lincolnview Junior High-High School Principal Brad Mendenhall and guidance counselor Brenda Leeth, who talked about the district’s efforts to promote career education within the schools. In addition to Leeth counseling students to consider a number of options when contemplating what to do following graduation, Mendenhall also talked about

“I’m really passionate about this idea and the projects we’ve been doing at Lincolnview,” Mendenhall said, also noting that those attending the Chamber Coffee

Inaugural career fair included more than 30 local businesses a diverse group that included agricultural, finance, food service, insurance, healthcare, and manufacturing.

“We had big businesses, we had small businesses,” Mendenhall noted, adding that all Lincolnview juniors and seniors participated in the event. Students and businesses were then asked to do a survey following the event, while students were tasked to send out at least five resumes and made at least five connections with local businesses.

Leeth detailed the results of the surveys, reading some student and business responses to the event. Students were generally positive about the event, with one student noting that there were more employment options than he realized in Van Wert County.

The guidance counselor also noted that Lincolnview brought in some guest speakers last school year and also worked to sharpen students’ interviewing skills prior to graduation.

The school also offers a career education course called College and Career Connections, Leeth said, noting that the course allows students to explore career options in more depth, with job shadowing and other activities included in the class.

Mendenhall said this year’s career fair will be held March 1, 2018, at Lincolnview, while a junior high career event will be held May 16, 2018.

Also at the Chamber Coffee was Van Wert High School career counselor Kerry Koontz, who provided information on VWHS’s CEO program, which provides seniors the opportunity to do internships with a number of area businesses for two class periods per day (see more information from a story in the independent archives).

Vantage Superintendent Rick Turner also talked about his school’s workforce development efforts. Turner, a Vantage graduate himself who later earned a master’s degree in education, first talked about his excitement to return to the school, and also provided information on the continuing efforts at Vantage to provide quality vocational training to its students. A robotics demonstration was also set up for attendees to see.

Turner said he was talking to a business representative recently who noted that vocational students are very valuable today because of the retirement of veteran employees from the Baby Boomer generation.

“Career tech students are like gold to us, because they’re just so sought after now,” Turner noted.

The Vantage superintendent said approximately 10,000 Baby Boomers a day are retiring and that should continue for another 15-17 years.

Turner said estimates are that 9,000-22,000 positions will be open in the next few years in an eight-county region that includes Van Wert County.

He also noted that Vantage’s programs and offerings are changing to meet the demand, with a new practical nursing program being developed to meet the nursing shortage, as well as CDL and criminal justice programs.

Turner noted that, last year alone, 592 industry-recognized credentials were issued at Vantage.

“That is a significant contribution to the workforce needs in this community,” he said. “The work that we do is very, very important.”

Turner also noted that Vantage is one of only four sites in Ohio where a professional welding certification can be obtained.

He also commended the school’s business advisory committee, which includes 240 business representatives, for its work in helping Vantage tailor its programs to today’s business needs.