Career Representative
EMPOWER
THE NEXT
generation
It is critical to our workforce development efforts to transfer knowledge from one generation to the next.
What does partnering look like?
The Why
A donation of less than 2 hours of your time will impact the career trajectory of thousands of students in our community
Reps will work with PPBEA staff to create a work-based learning "postings" in the MARKETPLACE for classrooms and students to connect with. PPBEA staff will facilitate and work with you through the entire process!
The How
Using the work-based learning continuum, we can provide various opportunities for students to explore careers, investigate occupations, receive training and certifications and onramp into an entry level career, ideally with a host employer. In turn, our business representatives participate in the workforce readiness of their future employees on a community level.
- 1
Submit
Complete partnership interest form to learn more about PPBEA and begin the onboarding process. - 2
Schedule
Expect PPBEA staff to contact you to schedule a virtual information and onboarding session. - 3
Select
Browse the types of career exploration and training opportunities below to determine which fit your interests and current availability. - 4
Develop
Work with PPBEA staff to create and post your selected activities for students and educators to explore. - 5
Interact
Communicate with applicants inside the MARKETPLACE to schedule and complete career-connected activities.
Decide how you want to Engage the PPBEA initiative.
You can Donate:
- Time and talent by sponsoring work-based learning opportunities for classrooms and students to connect with.
- Knowledge and Experience by participating in regional career pathway advisory meetings.
- Treasure by providing paid internships or completion scholarships to qualified student interns, donating to PPBEA’s mission or to help offset student barriers to participation.
Types of Career Exploration
and Training Opportunities
Class Presentations
A low-intensity activity that is primarily focused on student career exploration. Industry professionals will be invited to provide a broad exposure to their industry and occupations. This also includes the #EveryoneHasAStory recorded career story videos.
Site Visits
A low-intensity activity that is primarily focused on student career exploration. Site visit/field trip hosts will be invited to provide a facility tour along with a broad exposure to the subject industry and related occupations to a classroom-sized group of students with a teacher chaperone.
Speaker's Bureau
Speakers bureau volunteers may be asked to participate individually or as a member of an industry or career panel, to share career or economic information and/or subject matter expertise with a group of students, parents and/or staff. This is a low-intensity activity.
Mentorships
A mentorship is a medium intensity work-based learning activity that is primarily focused on project-based learning. Professionals from the community share their subject matter expertise with a classroom of students, a small group of students, or individual students involved in experiential learning or capstone projects.
Job Shadows & Informational Interviews
A job shadow & informational interview is a medium-intensity activity that is primarily focused on student occupational investigation. These experiences are one-one with an industry professional that allow a student to interview and observe an industry professional in a work setting. This also includes the #EveryoneHasAStory recorded career story videos.
Internships
An internship is a higher intensity activity. It is a structured work-based learning experience of a duration of 60 or 120 hours that meets requirements for elective course credit for a student. Generally reserved for students ages 17-18 but work rules could allow internships to age 14
Jobs, Training & Apprenticeship
These opportunities are provided by employers, educational institutions, training institutions or community organizations. Opportunities may include: educational camps, training programs, certificate programs, volunteering, apprenticeships or job postings for students.
Industry Sponsored Projects
An Industry Sponsored Project is a medium-intensity activity where students complete a real-world project or problem submitted and monitored by an industry professional. Students are mentored by their teacher to ensure the project meets set expectations.
Why Should I partner?
Our business representatives partner for a variety of reasons. Many are taking action to solve chronic talent supply shortages. Others are working with us to help close skills gaps for students entering the workforce. Still others just want to give back to the community by being part of a knowledge transfer process to the next generation.
Whatever your reason to take the next step might be, please know that PPBEA has created systems and practices that make it simple and easy to get involved. You don’t have to be an education expert. We will walk you through the entire process!
In many occupations, the days of posting positions and hoping qualified candidates show up are over. Depending on the research, anywhere from 65% to 83% of business owners and hiring managers report having difficulty filling open positions.
Hiring is most difficult in a select group of high demand occupations throughout the U.S. There are strategies that businesses can adopt to help solve these problems. One of these key strategies is to partner with K-12 education to "grow our own". Here we are!
The7
HIGH DEMAND
OCCUPATIONS
One of the pillars of value provided by PPBEA is our focus on the top seven demand industry categories in our community.
By taking meaningful action together, we can help solve the chronic labor supply shortages so persistent in the Pikes Peak Region.
Nursing and related Healthcare Occupations
IT, Computer Science and Cybersecurity
Skilled Trades & Technical Sciences in Manufacturing and Construction
Education & Early Childhood Education
Culinary Arts & Hospitality Occupations
Business operations and Customer Service occupations
Arts, Design & Multimedia
Employer
Storytelling Outline
1. Welcome to students
2. General overview of industry and business
- Why should students be curious about this industry or business?
- An overview of occupations available within this business.
3. Present Career Story
- As a K-12 student -- What did you want to be when you grew up?
- Did you participate in any type of experiential learning as a student? Ex: job shadows, internships, etc.
- What was your first paid job?
- Share your professional development story:
- — How did you get where you are?
- — What were the challenges you have faced?
- — How did you overcome them?
- — What are the rewards?
- Illustrate and describe a “day in the life” of your occupation.