Career exposure, exploration, and preparation are all essential elements of building the workforce of the future. Effective programs focus on creating awareness and hands-on experiences, which can help individuals decide that a particular career is what they are looking for – or a speed up a realization that it is not for them.
Career exploration programs require investment by employers, workforce development, and education partners. Limited resources and time are obstacles, but without these programs we are more likely to see young people entering careers that may not be right for their interests, passions, and skills. Early exploration encourages more direct pathways to success and is a worthwhile investment for all stakeholders in our economy.
Recently, I had the privilege of attending the graduation ceremony of the ninth cohort of the Detroit Workforce of the Future (DWF) program at the Operating Engineers 324 Training Center in Detroit. This 16-week program targets Detroit high school students who are taking career technical education (CTE) classes at the Randolph Career Technical Center in Detroit. The DWF program provides ten weeks of classroom training, five weeks of job site and company visits and one week of community service through a construction project. Sponsors include contractors, labor organizations and education and workforce development agencies. These include Jobs for Michigan Graduates, Workforce Development Institute, and MUST Workforce.
This year’s cohort had a 100% graduation rate. The 12 high school juniors and seniors from different schools in Detroit were selected based on their interest in the construction industry and participation in a pre-apprenticeship program. They learned about soft skills – including time management, communications, team-building, and workplace safety; they even got their OSHA-30 certification.
Charles Foulks, a senior from Western International High School, will be attending Eastern Michigan University in the fall to study Construction Management. He applied for the DWF program to learn more about the different trades and particularly enjoyed the networking with major employers. Barton Malow and Iafrate Construction were among his favorites, and he also appreciated the opportunity to use different equipment such as the the hoisting crane. His experience helped him to decide on his path to pursuing a career as a Construction Project Manager.
Charles Foulks
This year’s cohort included three female students. These young women comprise 25% of their class, compared to only 10% in the industry as a whole. Two were juniors and one a senior.
Valerie Brown, Nadah Agag, and Regine Turner-Word
Nadah Agag, a junior from Denby High School saw the program as a way of getting her OSHA-30 certificate and particularly enjoyed the community service project demolishing a porch, stacking bricks, and operating machinery. She plans to pursue a career as an electrical engineer and will be applying to college in the fall. Her big takeaways from the program are the connections to employers.
Valerie Brown with her certificate and the gift of tools from the sponsors
Valerie is a junior from Western International High School, and her goal is to be an electrician. She believed the DWF would provide good exposure to the construction industry. She was originally considering HVAC, but “fell in love with electrical” when she learned about the electrical bell system and how it connects to other systems. She is also interested in automotive careers.
Regine Turner-Word a senior at Mumford High School appreciates the opportunity for trying new things, learning about the industry, team building and working on different sites. However, she has made the decision to pursue her passion with a degree in Fashion Design and Photography at Western Michigan University in the fall.
John Hartwell, Apprentice Outreach Representative for the Operating Engineers 324 moderated the graduation ceremony. It included several speakers who provided inspiration, encouragement, and recognition for the graduates. They also shared their own career experiences and discussed the valuable lessons they learned. The speakers represented a range of organizations including Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation and Blaze Contracting.
John Hartwell and Lee Graham, Operating Engineers 324 with Nathan Nestor from the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 2 and Carolyn Miller, from the Jobs for Michigan Graduates program
Tyrese West, the Apprenticeship Coordinator for Liuna Training of Michigan emphasized the need to “make the most of your opportunities” and the importance of not delaying and following on up conversations and connections immediately.
Mike Samualson, Superintendent at Iafrate Construction recounted his unique journey from a “farm kid in the Thumb” to a career as an Operating Engineer working across the United States building roads, golf courses, and manufacturing plants. After his family lost their farm, he knew he had to be brave, overcome being uncomfortable, persevering even when things didn’t go as planned. He urged the graduates to be bold, push hard, and ask questions.
Nasir Starks, is a Civil Engineering Student at Prairie View A&M in Texas is interning with the Michigan Department of Transportation in Detroit this summer. He encouraged students to leverage their DWF experience to open doors. He emphasized the opportunities to connect with employers – reminding them that “Actions and Words are how people know you!”
Leslie Love, former State Representative and now Assistant Deputy Director, MDOT’s Metro-Region emphasized that the professional trades are “honorable and essential” with each graduate having “the power to shape their community with their hands and hearts” as they literally build the future.
Graduates with the sponsors
The graduation ceremony reminded me that any successful effort to create the future requires collaboration between employers, workforce development, and education. Students need robust career exposure and exploration including academic and hands-on learning. They also need to learn and develop soft skills like communications, teamwork, decision making, work ethic, and confidence. These are essential to success in both career and life. They need to be incorporated into curriculum regardless of industry. It is only through the commitment, encouragement, and mentoring by adults in business, labor, and education working together that young people will be equipped to make career choices that reflect their interests, passions, and skills to create the workforce of the future.
Leave a Reply