A Message from Chamber President Dennis Goldstrand:

BEA helps promote a skilled workforce

SEPTEMBER 2008  -  An increasingly important issue for our employer members is an educated and trained workforce. Not having adequate qualified employees impedes their growth and productivity and obviously impacts our economic expansion.

This will continue to be a major concern and priority of the Chamber. In partnership with other organizations, The Chamber will be a strong advocate for education, including vocational training. Not everyone attends college, nor should they be expected to. Many occupations that require skilled and vocationally trained trades pay high wages. Often, our youth that enter these programs are at-risk young adults. They can learn a skilled trade that will give them a sense of pride in their knowledge and skill, incentive to train others, and offer many opportunities for high-wage jobs in our community.

Our Business Education Alliance (BEA), co-chaired by Dr. Hazel Hill and Bill Harr, addresses the concerns of the business community regarding the quality of our future workforce. It provides the means by which employers and educators work together to understand each others’ needs and requirements with the goal of improving educational outcomes. The BEA raises awareness in our youth regarding the various career opportunities available for them here in our community, and in doing so retain them rather than lose them to other areas.

The BEA accomplishes our goals through our subprograms such as: the Speaker’s Bureau; Internship program; Science and Industry Tours; Principal for a Day program; Career Fairs; and smaller career development institutes at specific campuses. These programs have: sent over 100 guest speakers to local classrooms to discuss their industry and the path to get there; had 150 students attend Career Jam, a career fair featuring 30-40 businesses and break-out sessions for the students to attend; Science and Industry tours were given by Outback Steakhouse to 11 schools, providing about 440 students with the opportunity to see how a restaurant operates and learn about the Outback in Australia; and 35 schools participated in Principal for a Day, which brought 35 principals and business community members together.

Please consider becoming a sponsor, volunteer or member of the BEA committee. You can contact one of the co-chairs or Frank Ferral or Jashmin Milan of the Chamber staff for more information.

We are also planning to have a forum on vocational education with all interested parties in the fall. Date, location and other details will be announced in the next few months.