“Connecting Our Youth with Industry and Employers”Port McNeill & District Chamber of Commerce

Building on Success 2013

• Connections was a pilot project begun in 2012 and funded by School District 85 under the Coordinated Workforce Strategy funds;

• A second, more ambitious, student workplace experience pilot program began January to June 2013 with funding being made available from the Labour Market Partnership (LMP) contribution agreement.

• With further investment from the RDMW, this project began a life beyond the LMP and represents an important community project linking students firmly with local employers in their North Island communities.

• 2013 has seen the development of a Field Studies 12 course as another layer of “Connecting Our Youth with Industry and Employers”

The Opportunity

• Work together to get students hands-on experiences with industry and business.(Field Studies)

• Provide high quality learning and exploratory opportunities.• Allow students to see, hear, and do before they decide.• Get kids connected. • “Travelling Career Fair”

Connections Trips• Since September 2013 we have taken sixteen Connections trips involving over 100

students• North Island Kayak• Port McNeill & District Hospital• The Gate House Theatre • Hobby Nook and West Coast Community Craft Shop• Visions Hair Salon• Black Bear Resort• Community Futures: Young Entrepreneurs• Orca Sand & Gravel• Port McNeill Firehall• RCMP• Pacificus Biological Services• Flower Shoppe • Harvest Food Bank• Hardy Buoys• Keltic Seafoods• Canadian Fish Co.

Learn, Observe, InvolveOrca Sand & Gravel

Understand CommunityHarvest Food Bank Port Hardy

Practice with Employers

Upcoming Tours

• Westcoast Helicopters• Neucell • Alert Bay• Windmill Fall• Strategic• Sointula

Student Feedback

• Students fill in a form after each trip. They answer anonymous questions as to the benefit of the trip, is it a field they would pursue and what would future trips consist of.

• 72% felt trips were beneficial• 52% would pursue a career • Comments included “well worth the time, I am

going to pursue a career in medicine”. “I learned a lot about charity and not for profit organizations, as well as the theatre in our town.”

Team Talk

• Two students have been involved everyday with the connections program.

• Adam has been working on technical aspects and is earning credits for his involvement

• Zaida has been working on office aspects and is also earning credits for her involvement

Zaida’s Experiences

Adam’s Experience

Student Feedback Comments

• “I am planning on joining the RCMP when I graduate, I am happy to know they will take my application at 18”

• “I learned how much experience you need to be a doctor”

What’s Happening Now

• Through the use of contacting businesses’ through mail, email, and phone contacts, those businesses’ our now contacting us and wanting students to come to their workplaces.

• Businesses’ are also wanting students to be more involved. Employers want more students involvement, whether through work experience or job shadowing, they have a need to give back to community and youth; as one employer stated “to pass the torch.”

Our Partners

• Regional District

• School District 85

Projects

• Project Comeback – two students helped the Regional District with their project Comeback study, gathering data through student surveys, adding input into the survey and compiling results.

• Continually adding to our list of businesses on the North Island that would encourage students to have a good look at them as future employers.

Field Studies

• It is a new course with themes of mentorship, work experience, regional economic issues, and employment readiness.

Help Wanted

• If you are an employer, business owner, or an organization who is interested in having students participate in a guided tour of your worksite, please contact us.

• This could include a small group visit, larger group, or a personalized “hands on” experience. We will arrange all transportation to and from the worksite and supervision throughout.

• Also, if you know of a student interested in participating in a “Workplace Awareness Activity” and/or one that has a particular career interest area, please feel free to contact us.

Website

• The Connections program provides an opportunity for high school students to take in part in “Workplace Awareness Activities” throughout the North Island. To date over 150 students have participated ranging from Port McNeill, Port Hardy, Alert Bay, Woss, Sointula, and other surrounding areas.

• http://connectionsniss.webs.com/