Career Connects Will & Grundy

2. Career Connects Will & Grundy Regional approach to career development for high school and college students Jenny Govoni, Joliet Junior College College Changes Everything July 11, 2013

3. What is Career Connects Will & Grundy County? Career Connects Will & Grundy brings together education and businesses to help students and job seekers achieve their goals and address communities’ workforce development needs. Career Connects Will & Grundy is fully integrated with Career Cruising. Career Connects and Career Cruising provides powerful tools for students, job seekers, educators and community businesses.

4. Genesis The high school BEST program housed at Joliet Junior College would get calls from our local feeder high schools. - Do you have a nurse to come speak to my anatomy class? - Do you have an accountant to come speak to my consumer education class? - Do you have any local companies hiring high school graduates? The coordinator of the program would do his best to find a nurse, accountant and local companies for Wilmington High School, Joliet Township, Plainfield School District, etc. The willing nurse is willing to share her expertise, not just at Wilmington, but is available to help out when she can at any local high school. Other local high schools would not know this nurse is available and would either miss the opportunity to have her speak with students or would use up precious time, trying to locate a nurse. IDEA: Why not have a one-stop-shop that pools all businesses and local professionals interested in sharing their company and expertise with the education community. Too bad we don’t have a web-based software platform that all the schools use ... Or do we? Career Cruising is already used in all area high schools for basic career exploration.

5. Implementation Advisory board meets Key stakeholders engaged • Planned launch event • Recruited businesses Hosted school launch Trained educators Recruit Recruit Recruit 2010: Idea Advisory board formed Funding sources Feb 2011 Hired 2 p/t business recruiters • April 2011 • Community Launch event Summer 2011 Sept 2011 School Launch

6. Implementation (cont.) 2012: Recruit & Train • Sept 2012 • Hosted professional development for educators Today

7. How does Career Connects impact: Students • Career development activities • Submit questions to real working people • Receive targeted communication about job opportunities • Gain access to local labor market information

8. How does Career Connects impact: Educators • Student engagement • Teacher interaction with students • Parents can search for colleges and scholarships • Links school activities to local community • Identify companies that offer employment or career development activities • Connection with companies • Track students use of the features

9. How does Career Connects impact: Businesses • Communicate with students and job seekers • Create visibility for your company • Inform about attributes they look for when hiring • Promote the local community

10. How can businesses get involved in Career Connects? Set up a company profile Become a career coach Offer career development activities

11. Relationship building • Provide career paths for students • Local connection • Funding • Student engagement Successes Challenges

12. Contact Information: Jenny Govoni | Joliet Junior College jgovoni@jjc.edu | 815-280-1518