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WorkKeys opens the door to a better
workforce. Learn More...
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New Opportunities Posted Weekly
Watch this site often! Each week we are being contacted by more businesses and schools looking to build our local workforce. Check back often, and be sure to keep updating your profile! |
Career Videos Available
You should visit Career Click. You’ll see occupations by title, education required or wages. And you can use the list of skills to help build your resume. You can also see a video of what it’s like to work in a particular job. Visit the Web site. |
Latest Registered Users
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Local Business Are Hopping on the
Learning Bandwagon
You would be amazed at the number of local high school students who are making decisions about their careers by experiencing jobs first-hand in our communities! You would also be amazed at the number of businesses who benefit from having students in work-based learning at their business sites.
What is “work-based learning?” These experiences include such events as job shadowing, work-study, internships, co-op programs, site tours and field trips. They might also include a school hosting a guest speaker from a local industry or a business person attending a job fair.
Click here to read a Troy Times-Tribune article about how one Madison County school district partnered with area employers to host a career day event that introduced students to great careers available locally.
Regardless of the approach, the idea is the same: bring local students closer to the local workforce.
One student currently spends a few days a week helping a local manufacturing firm track machinery maintenance work. The employer was pleased at how quickly the student learned the company’s proprietary computer system and exported files into Excel. Another student works at a local glass company. The owner says the student is a valuable asset in replacing glass in car windows and installing store windows at malls. Big companies or small – the benefits work for everyone.
Click here to learn how one local firm utilizes Partners in Progress to promote the field of civil engineering.
 The Workforce 21 study commissioned by the Madison Bond and MidAmerica Workforce Investment Boards indicated that a problem faced by the southwestern Illinois region is “brain drain.” This is where our students decide to leave the area to find employment elsewhere. If left unchecked, this can be a real problem that results in difficulty recruiting new businesses and retaining existing business and industry.
Our local workforce boards are reaching out to schools, business and industry to facilitate bringing the two together. There are 20 local high schools presently on board including Granite City. Pictured above is Dan Farrington from Granite City High School who placed 3rd in the State SkillsUSA Precision Machine Technology competition.
Several students interested in careers in childcare recently took tours of area day care centers. The experience gave the students invaluable experience exploring the best way to care for children. From metal fabricating to home building, computer graphics to office work, students learn best when they have real-world experiences. And local employers benefit, too, both now and in the future.
Currently, we are working with 27 local Chambers of Commerce to aggressively recruit businesses to sign up. It only takes about two minutes to register, but the rewards can be outstanding for businesses willing to take the time. Click here to get started! |
