P3 Events Going Strong at All Four Windham County High Schools!
BDDC’s Pipelines and Pathways Program (P3), in partnership with all four Windham County high schools, has been busy this fall engaging students in fun and valuable career awareness and readiness activities. And P3’s offerings keep growing in the month of November!
The launch of BDCC and Twin Valley High School Career Spotlight Series will take place next week, featuring an interactive presentation by Riggs Distler, located in Jacksonville, VT, as well as locations up and down the east coast. Administrative Manager, Aimee Reed, will provide information on their high-wage, high-growth job opportunities, and how interested students can take their first steps toward promising careers in the energy and utility industry. Elizabeth Motta, Guidance Counselor, and Anna Roth, Dean of Students, have been a terrific help in coordinating this and upcoming activities.
We continue to offer 21st Century skills classes at Leland and Gray Middle/High School in preparation for mock interviews that will be conducted by educators and local professionals in December. BDCC, working closely with Terry Davison-Berger, Flexible Pathways Coordinator, has helped students prepare resumes, cover letters, practice professional behavior and interview questions, and they are (almost) ready for their close-up! Interviews will be videotaped for private viewing by students and their career coaches to help them improve their skills, build confidence, and be ready for upcoming college and/or job interviews. BDCC has also employed the services of Thrive, a local human resources consulting business, to teach several classes, including last week’s enlightening workshop about the importance of developing a good reputation, and how online footprints can affect the way colleges and employers perceive us.
BDCC is working closely with Brattleboro Union High School’s guidance team to help connect juniors’ and seniors’ passions and aptitudes to career opportunities. Upcoming BDCC workshops will focus on alternative pathways to college, specifically the robust educational opportunities provided by some of our top local employers. So far, through interest inventories, students have identified manufacturing, education, healthcare, and law enforcement as some of their top career clusters. Starting in December, we will connect students to guest speakers, worksite tours and job shadowing opportunities related to their identified interests. Additionally, we will be taking STEM Coordinator Dan Braeden’s class on a worksite tour of G.S. Precision, led by G.S. Training Coordinator, Matt Bickford. Brattleboro Representative, Emilie Kornheiser will be present to gather information about our program offerings.
Students from Bellows Falls Union High School will be taking tours of local manufacturers Whitney Blake and Sonnax to learn about pathways to high tech manufacturer careers. School Counselor, Mark Gebo, has lead the charge with BDCC to connect seniors to these promising and lucrative job opportunities. Following the tours, we’ll head to Allen Brothers to converse about the experience and eat a delicious lunch!
Whew! And that’s just the month of November! Stay connected for upcoming events and opportunities throughout this school year and beyond with BDCC’s blog and newsletter as well as announcements on each school’s website and social media page. And of course, always feel free to reach out to Christy Betit, Pipelines and Pathways Coordinator, with any questions at cbetit@brattleborodevelopment.com
