Web Site Helps Students Learn About Careers
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Few people aspire to becoming a brain surgeon, but it doesn't take one to discover the profession's requirements.
Internet access to pfconnextions.communityos.org links inquisitive students, and the educators who guide them, to career information available locally and throughout the area.
"The selling point is the single point of contact for businesses and educators for the entire region," said David Simpson, "Connextions" coordinator for the Warsaw/Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce.
Brain surgery isn't specifically on the list. Health services are, though, along with agriculture and natural resources, engineering, science and technologies, building and construction, educational services and transportation, to name a few career types.
If a student would like to tour a facility, job-shadow or become an intern in a certain field, Career Connextions, using PathFinder programming, is the place to make a request.
"We're not doing new activities," Simpson said of the multi-county effort. "This is a better way."
The request is reviewed, approved and scheduled by a request manager. A request manager may be a school teacher, counselor or youth coordinator.
Requests are forwarded to specific business representatives, who will schedule the desired action.
Users must register to use the system and will be notified by e-mail or telephone when the account is activated.
Simpson carefully screens all adult registrants. Students are identified by code numbers.
Educators use the program, too, to provide classroom speakers or guest instructors.
Apprenticeships, internships, mentoring, cooperative education and employment opportunities are also available. This program is not centered on employing students.
Connextions serves as a single point of contact with primary and post-secondary schools that wish to conduct or host career-oriented activities.
Seventy-two Kosciusko, Noble and Whitley county businesses have registered with PathFinder, with 519 businesses signed on in the entire region.
More than 320 youth opportunities (tours, speakers and the like) are available, with 1,712 total opportunities in the multi-county area.
More than 300 student and educator profiles, from the Tippecanoe Valley, Warsaw, Wawasee, West Noble and Whitko school systems, have been detailed with a total of 2,180 profiles in the system.
The aim of the program is to involve employers in the education-to-career movement.
The intention is to reduce recruiting costs, select and train new workers and increase the skill and employability levels of students, Simpson said.
Its aim is to inform students and educators of current and future employment needs.
Funding for the program has been provided by a Regional Workforce Development Services Region 2 grant. There is no fee to students, educators or businesses.
The region consists of Kosciusko, Elkhart, St. Joe, Marshal, Whitley and Noble counties.
Registrants using the NextStep program will pay a fee.
NextStep is the chamber's "next step" in smoothing the path from education to employment.
NextStep will offer job opportunities to students and adults.
"NextStep goes further than other Internet employment sites because it is local," Simpson said. "Businesspeople will pay for NextStep. They have to use a variety of databases to draw applicants."
Both programs will be sponsored by the Warsaw/Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce. The chamber's education steering and workforce development committees, along with Kosciusko Development Inc., will work toward its implementation, expected to be fully installed within the next two years.
For more information, contact Simpson at 800-776-6311 or 267-4175, or e-mail him at [email protected] [[In-content Ad]]
Few people aspire to becoming a brain surgeon, but it doesn't take one to discover the profession's requirements.
Internet access to pfconnextions.communityos.org links inquisitive students, and the educators who guide them, to career information available locally and throughout the area.
"The selling point is the single point of contact for businesses and educators for the entire region," said David Simpson, "Connextions" coordinator for the Warsaw/Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce.
Brain surgery isn't specifically on the list. Health services are, though, along with agriculture and natural resources, engineering, science and technologies, building and construction, educational services and transportation, to name a few career types.
If a student would like to tour a facility, job-shadow or become an intern in a certain field, Career Connextions, using PathFinder programming, is the place to make a request.
"We're not doing new activities," Simpson said of the multi-county effort. "This is a better way."
The request is reviewed, approved and scheduled by a request manager. A request manager may be a school teacher, counselor or youth coordinator.
Requests are forwarded to specific business representatives, who will schedule the desired action.
Users must register to use the system and will be notified by e-mail or telephone when the account is activated.
Simpson carefully screens all adult registrants. Students are identified by code numbers.
Educators use the program, too, to provide classroom speakers or guest instructors.
Apprenticeships, internships, mentoring, cooperative education and employment opportunities are also available. This program is not centered on employing students.
Connextions serves as a single point of contact with primary and post-secondary schools that wish to conduct or host career-oriented activities.
Seventy-two Kosciusko, Noble and Whitley county businesses have registered with PathFinder, with 519 businesses signed on in the entire region.
More than 320 youth opportunities (tours, speakers and the like) are available, with 1,712 total opportunities in the multi-county area.
More than 300 student and educator profiles, from the Tippecanoe Valley, Warsaw, Wawasee, West Noble and Whitko school systems, have been detailed with a total of 2,180 profiles in the system.
The aim of the program is to involve employers in the education-to-career movement.
The intention is to reduce recruiting costs, select and train new workers and increase the skill and employability levels of students, Simpson said.
Its aim is to inform students and educators of current and future employment needs.
Funding for the program has been provided by a Regional Workforce Development Services Region 2 grant. There is no fee to students, educators or businesses.
The region consists of Kosciusko, Elkhart, St. Joe, Marshal, Whitley and Noble counties.
Registrants using the NextStep program will pay a fee.
NextStep is the chamber's "next step" in smoothing the path from education to employment.
NextStep will offer job opportunities to students and adults.
"NextStep goes further than other Internet employment sites because it is local," Simpson said. "Businesspeople will pay for NextStep. They have to use a variety of databases to draw applicants."
Both programs will be sponsored by the Warsaw/Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce. The chamber's education steering and workforce development committees, along with Kosciusko Development Inc., will work toward its implementation, expected to be fully installed within the next two years.
For more information, contact Simpson at 800-776-6311 or 267-4175, or e-mail him at [email protected] [[In-content Ad]]