Geauga Growth Partnership Leads More than 600 Geauga 8th Graders in Career Awareness

What do you want to be when you grow up? Not many of us had the answer to that in 8th grade, but GGP is introducing students to many career options to consider as they progress through their middle school and high school years, during “Career Awareness Days,” one step in GGP’s youth workforce training continuum. “I wish these programs had been available to me when I was in school,” said one of the adult volunteers who assisted with group tours to a variety of businesses.

On October 16th , GGP led a group of Cardinal Middle School students to visit Covia Holdings’ Best Sand plant in Chardon Township, University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center, and to Tarkett North America in Middlefield. During their visits, the students (as well as teachers and volunteers) were amazed to learn the many kinds of jobs that exist within one company.

“It takes more than doctors and nurses to run a hospital,” said Nate Peters, Fireman and EMT presenting at UH Geauga Medical Center. There are jobs in accounting, administration, human resources, engineering, food services and more. University Hospitals even has jobs for musicians in their music therapy department.

Covia Holdings, formed in 2018 through a merger between Fairmount Santrol and Unimin, employs more than 3,000 people in their 50+ plants across North America. “We employ men and women with high school diplomas through doctorate degrees, and there are opportunities for those who want to advance,” explained Ian Freeman – Quality manager. While Mr. Freeman and Process Engineer Abby Pfaff spoke to half the students in the conference room, the other half were treated to a bus tour into “the pit” by Joe Dahlhausen, Turf Plant operator.

Tarkett, located in Middlefield, is part of an International corporation and industry leader in flooring worldwide, for home and commercial use. Cardinal students handling some of the flooring materials were quick to recognize “this looks like our new gym floor!”

These students and businesses are a drop in the training bucket for the many who are benefitting from Geauga Growth Partnership’s robust Youth Workforce Training Program. “We will be taking more than 600 8th graders to visit businesses this fall,” says GGP President Tracy Jemison. By the end of the school year, GGP will host nearly 20 training days and the High School Internship Program for an estimated 1,400 middle and high school students from every Geauga County public, private and parochial school. The goal is to connect students to Geauga County businesses and careers.

Beginning in November, GGP will be training seniors in high school, juniors in January and sophomores in the spring of the 2018-19 school year. The goal is to “prepare tomorrow’s workforce today” by offering a training continuum that is appropriate for each grade level.

Geauga Growth Partnership has been building the Youth Workforce Development Program since the pilot High School Internship Program in 2012 and has progressively added and refined training to address the need for soft skills and other gaps reported by employers.

Youth Workforce Development Offerings

Ignite Your Career: Pathways to Success for students (grades 7-12) with parents
• Students participate in an evening symposium/job fair with their parents to be introduced to career
pathways by guest professionals and interact one-on-one with employers.

Eighth Grade Career Awareness Events

• Attend day-long field trips touring a minimum of three businesses, interacting with workers and learning about job training and skill requirements for various jobs.

Sophomore Career Readiness: Day-long interactive workshops

• Explore career pathways; learn workplace expectations; and gain soft skills from seasoned professionals.

Junior Career Readiness Training: Day-long interactive workshops

• Complete resumes and participate in mock interviews; gain insights into workplace expectations from guest speakers and a panel of Geauga employers.

Senior Career Readiness Training: Day-long interactive workshops 

• Participate in personality assessments, soft skills training and explore career choices, including educational and funding options leading to future careers.

High School Internship Program for high school junior and senior students

• Apply for paid summer internships with sponsoring companies. Student applicants submit resumes and references, and interview for at least three positions, to compete for jobs in a real-world setting. Students placed in internships complete a series of workshops hosted by GGP. This is an experience that broadens their knowledge of operating a business and an understanding of their industry.

Geauga Growth Partnership is grateful for the support of the Cleveland Foundation, Fairmount Santrol Foundation, The Catherine L. & Edward A. Lozick Foundation for their support of GGP’s Youth Workforce Development Program. GGP is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization created in 2010, which works to advance the Geauga business community, retain and grow jobs, contribute to business growth and strengthen the local economy. Geauga Growth Partnership’s mission is to enhance the business climate, encourage job creation, to strengthen economic prosperity and to improve the quality of life for all Geauga County residents.

For more information visit Geauga Growth Partnership, contact info@geaugagrowth.com or call 440-
564-1060.

Pictured In Cover Photo:  Cardinal Middle School students enjoy “Career Awareness Day”

Geauga News
Author: Geauga News