Area educators and business leaders are teaming up on a plan they've been talking about for years to educate youths for viable employment in businesses that are already here.
Greater Amsterdam School District Superintendent Thomas F. Perillo said his predecessor, Ron Limoncelli, who retired in June, has reactivated the Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery Business Education Alliance.
"Educators need to work closely with businesses to help provide a changing work force," Perillo said.
Perillo said there is interest in the business community. The group will have "summits" and set goals.
But first the group had to identify the problems.
According to a strategic plan put forth by the alliance, four main problems exist. They are:
Many individuals living in the region are unaware of the employment opportunities.
High school graduation rates are unacceptable.
When students graduate, they do not necessarily have the skills needed to work in a high-tech work force or to attend college in high-tech programs.
Educators require a greater awareness of the needs of business and industry.
To address these problems, the group came up with the following goals:
Citizens in the region will know the local industries and the employment opportunities available.
Every school district will have a 90 percent or greater graduation rate.
Workplace skills will be an integral component of every school curricula.
Business and education leaders will be true partners in the education and economic development of the region.
The first thing the group plans to do is hire a marketing firm to develop a plan regarding the employment opportunities in the region and the need for education to work in the industries.
Fulton County Regional Chamber of Commerce & Industry President Wally Hart, who is a member of the Steering Committee for the group, said interviews with possible marketing firms have been scheduled.
"No specific businesses have signed on yet," Hart said. "First we had to get the plan in place and hire a marketing firm."
Hart said the marketing campaign will address plans for the next five years.
"Our first message is that kids should stay in school, and the graduation rate needs to go up," he said. "Kids need to see opportunities, and [that] education will [open up those opportunities]."
Hart said there are viable jobs in the county, and when students leave to go to college, they need to know there are opportunities for employment here and, therefore, good reason to return.
Next, Hart said parents and teachers need to hear about local opportunities and the importance of education so people are able to take advantage of those opportunities.
Hart said the chamber's Tech Tuesday Tours were one way to try to get the message out that technical jobs exist locally. He said the marketing plan would have to be multi-faceted to reach the public.
"Kids won't read brochures, but their parents will," Hart said.
To demonstrate the problem created by not having an educated work force available, Hart gave the example of a talk he had with advance planners for a business in search of a location.
"They had the potential of bringing 300 to 400 jobs to the area," he said. "But [the man] I talked to asked, 'Do you have an educated work force?' We can't grow the community without an educated work force."
Hart said the schools have "bought in," and now the community needs to be sold on the program. He said the first year's budget of $12,000 is in place. Fulton-Montgomery Community College and Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery Board of Cooperative Education Services each put in $1,000 and local school districts have put in the other $10,000 on a pro-rated basis.
Fonda-Fultonville Central School District Superintendent James Hoffman said the idea that people could just "show up for work" and expect a good job isn't acknowledging the changing face of business.
"We have new businesses coming into the area, and special skills are needed to work in those businesses," he said. "Regionally, the high school graduation rate is running from 72 to 80 percent, and that's not acceptable."
Hoffman said the rate at FFCS is 85 percent, but 90 percent is needed.
Hoffman said he thought it was good educators aren't coming "with hat in hand" looking for money but are instead supplying the money needed to begin the program.
Hoffman said after getting the marketing plan off the ground, teachers would need to "change the paradigm" to develop graduates with the skills and knowledge base to get jobs with technical aspects.
"These skills shouldn't just be taught to those going to college," Hoffman said. "Here in Fonda, we have started introduction to engineering so children can know if they have those skills."
FMCC President Dustin Swanger said he is happy to be a part of the project.
"We need to stress we have quality companies and jobs in our area," Swanger said. "And to qualify for those jobs, you need the education and post-secondary education."
Swanger said he didn't think the goals of the alliance would necessarily change the curriculum at FMCC, but he said the college is sensitive to local employment possibilities.
"We've hosted a health care industry breakfast," he said.
Swanger said the college also is keeping up on changing needs, such as the need for medical coders in health care finance.
"This fall, we'll be offering a program in medical coding," he said.
Lisa Queeney of Wachovia Financial has been attending the alliance meetings. She said good communication is needed between school systems and chambers of commerce as to what businesses are looking for.
"We need to confront the community," Queeney said. "I am appalled at the lack of information available about what's out there. We need marketing [of information] that is multi-faceted."
Queeney said information needed to be geared to fifth-graders and junior-high levels to change attitudes early.
"We need to show kids what's in their own backyard," Queeney said.
Richard Nilsen is a general assignment reporter and can be reached at ga@leaderherald.com.
