Partners

Path to Careers: Develop connections with your future workforce through Path to Careers

Companies of every size and industry are facing unprecedented challenges finding workers to fill open positions. There are over 10 million job openings in the United States but only about 6 million active job seekers to fill them. Long gone are the days when job vacancies are filled easily with Help Wanted signs. Employers must be proactive in engaging future workers at an age when they are making career decisions.

Advance Central PA, with support from the PA CareerLink® Business Solutions Team, would like to introduce Path to Careers, a website that effectively and efficiently connects businesses with schools and students, helps schools to better understand business needs, and allows students to experience career pathways first-hand.

By creating a profile on the Path to Careers website, www.pathtocareers.org, businesses can connect with students through customized career awareness experiences. Schools also register on the Path to Careers website so that educators and students can connect with local businesses to learn about and experience local careers.

Whether a student is figuring out what's next after high school, an educator is striving to better prepare students for the next step in their lives, or a business is looking to find the next generation of leaders, making effective and intentional connections is key. Path to Careers shows students the variety of career pathways available in Central PA that align with their interests and skills, provides educators with information about the skills and knowledge needed for students to be successful, and creates opportunities for businesses to directly engage with their future workforce.

Path to Careers makes it easy for businesses to connect with more students from multiple schools. Businesses simply create a profile on the website, choose a staff contact to field requests from schools, and post experiences they would like to offer, such as:

Cooperative Education -- Co-ops involve your business working closely with a school to offer students technical skills and workplace training.

Guest Speaker -- Speaking directly to students provides an opportunity to share information about your company, available careers, and the academic and practical preparation required for employment and advancement.

Industry Tour -- Allows students to see your worksite in person, virtually, or via recorded video to observe work- related activities and learn more about your company.

Internship -- A temporary paid or unpaid position provides students with valuable experience and insight.

Job Shadow -- Provides valuable exposure to careers by allowing students to witness a typical day on the job.

Mentoring -- A one-to-one student/business professional match allows you to share insights, and provide encouragement, guidance and support.

Mock Interview -- A one-on-one simulated job interview provides students an opportunity to practice professional dress and etiquette, answer questions about their interests and personal qualities, and learn how to market themselves as prospective job candidates.

Pre-Apprenticeship -- Students learn your industry-based objectives as they build the literacy, math, English, and work readiness skills needed for future success.

Summer Employment -- Hiring students in the summer is a great way to get projects checked off the to-do list, while supporting students' professional development.

Volunteer Opportunity -- Through volunteerism students develop leadership skills, learn to work with others, increase engagement in the community, explore various work activities, and build a strong work ethic.

Teacher in the Workplace -- Directly engage teachers, counselors, and administrators to keep them informed of industry trends, training needs, opportunities for collaboration, and the career paths available within your company. Educators take the knowledge back to the classroom to enhance instruction and student career readiness.

Join these Clinton County businesses who were first to register on the Path to Careers website: Chapman Township; First Quality Enterprises, Inc.; Highway Equipment & Supply Company; Lock Haven Rehabilitation and Senior Living (formerly Susque-View); and Wayne Township Landfill. For more information or assistance with creating a Path to Careers business profile and student experiences, contact: BusinessSolutions@CentralPACL.com.

Equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Program funded with federal dollars. For more information, visit: https://advancecentralpa.org/about-us/public-notices/