HEAR THEIR NEEDS AND ADAPT: HOW CRISPUS ATTUCKS SEEKS SOLUTIONS FOR THE WORKFORCE CHALLENGES IN YOCO

CALLING TO ACTION: YCEA Convenes Leaders to Focus on Workforce Solutions

STORY BY KATIE MAHONEY

VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS YORK COUNTY ECONOMIC ALLIANCE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY

YORK COUNTY ECONOMIC ALLIANCE

The York County Economic Alliance (YCEA) aims to bridge the gap between education and our community’s workforce. Through hearing from you—our members, partners, and community leaders—we recognize that educating students and retaining them in York County is becoming a more tangible concern for the business community. In June, we convened a luncheon with area business leaders and school district superintendents. The goal was to end the 90-minute session with tangible steps toward better preparing the workforce of the future.

Enlisting facilitator Patrick Ball of CTY Consulting Group, the YCEA was able to bring together leaders to create meaningful steps. “The YCEA has identified a real need in our community—the need to bring together business and education leaders to discuss how to best prepare the workforce of tomorrow,” Ball said. “The positive energy in the room during the discussions, and the mutual understanding and appreciation of each other’s challenges, was a great first step. The desire to continue the conversation while identifying opportunities to collaborate was awesome. By the YCEA assuming the role of convener, all parties were comfortable with the process. I’m sure we will see substantive results from these conversations in the months and years to come.”

Participants prioritized action options that industry and education can use to collaborate and equip students with what they need. The top concepts included the following: • Students Go to Business: Whether in the form of mentorship, job shadowing, or apprenticeships, exposing students to the business world is viewed as a way to have significant impact on their ability to be prepared. • Teachers Go to Business: Exposing teachers to experiences in business will help them bridge the gap between the curriculum and the application of the curriculum in a business setting. • Adjust the Curriculum: Enhancing the delivery of the curriculum means including soft skills, acknowledging the importance of soft skills, and how they are complementary to the technical skills covered in the standard curriculum.

Addressing the increasing use and required education of technology, participants strategized actions to the evolving need of applicable technology skills:

• Teach Critical Thinking Skills: The technology in many cases automates an algorithm or other thought process that had to be done manually in the past. Having the ability to understand the logic and application of technology allows students to understand why and critically solve problems. • Project-Based Learning: Many activities in industry require the ability to be part of a team and work on projects. Being able to leverage technology and apply it successfully to business issues as part of a team are critical.

Dr. Michael Snell, superintendent of York County’s largest school district and a member of the YCEA Board of Directors, played an instrumental role in convening the superintendents and educators for this luncheon. “Today’s education leaders know the importance of preparing our high school graduates for success in whatever their postsecondary pursuits may be, from higher education to the workforce,” said Dr. Snell. “There is no better way to ensure we are preparing them to enter the workforce than to connect directly with our community’s business and industry leaders.”

This conversation will continue. The YCEA will strategize with local leaders and educators to determine what can be implemented or refined. Dr. Snell best summed up the work ahead: “By collaborating with fellow educators and community and business leaders alike, we gain valuable insight into critical workforce issues facing our community. This knowledge and the conversations that result have helped Central York School District refine its focus on workforce development initiatives that will benefit not only our students but also the community at large.”