Chamber Currents
Young Minds Seek To Gain On-The-Job Training
The Conway Area Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the Academy of Technology and Academics to promote the new Connect program to the Chamber’s business partners. The three-year program is designed to touch students who have fallen behind prior to entering high school, compacting the academic curriculum so that they may graduate on time with a marketable skill.
The first year of the program focuses on exposing students to various types of businesses.
Not only will students tour, but will seek to learn from each employee what kinds of tasks they complete each day. These young minds want to understand day-to-day activities, so to determine if that particular job will be of interest to them in the future.
The second and third years will include job shadowing, where students are allowed to spend a nine-weeks period with an employer to learn a particular job in more depth. The final year includes an internship opportunity, where students are treated as employees, with the same expectations. This is not only beneficial to the student, but also to many small business owners who can’t afford to hire the help, but certainly need it.
This plan helps students to understand what is expected in the work place and better prepares them to successfully graduate and find a job more easily.
We are asking our Chamber members to be open to the idea of the Connect program. With your help, these young students are not only allowed to catch up and graduate on time, but are given real-life lessons that cannot be learned from textbooks. First-hand experience often takes the trial and error out of first-time employment.
If you are interested in learning more about the Connect program and are willing to help someone gain on-the-job training, as well as help assist your small business, please get involved by contacting Sandra James at the Academy of Technology and Academics at 488-6200.
