Alliance offers a viable plan
The Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery Business Education Alliance is preparing to launch a marketing campaign to inform the public about the group's efforts.
The alliance is a collaboration of school districts in Fulton, Montgomery and Hamilton counties, the Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery Board of Cooperative Educational Services, Fulton-Montgomery Community College, local economic development agencies, three area chambers of commerce and local businesses.
The group has ambitious goals: educate people in the region about local industries and available employment opportunities; help school districts reach a 90 percent or greater graduation rate; identify the skills necessary to work in local industries; and provide opportunities to bring education and business together.
Reaching those goals won't be easy, but the alliance has established the groundwork to make them feasible. BOCES, the college and more than a dozen school districts in the three counties are contributing a total of $12,000, and organizers are hoping for an annual commitment from businesses as well. The alliance hired a marketing firm and a part-time coordinator, retired educator Don Baggetta. The group also established a strategic plan.
The effort is impressive, sincere and altruistic. The challenge for the alliance and its 25-member board will be to develop specific programs that can be effective.
Wally Hart, president of the Fulton County Regional Chamber of Commerce & Industry, said the alliance has identified several problems related to business and education in the area:
Many people in the region are unaware of the employment opportunities here.
Local high school graduation rates - which average 73 percent after four years of high school - are unacceptable.
When students graduate, they don't necessarily have the skills to work in today's work force.
Educators lack awareness of the needs of local businesses and industry.
In an effort to improve the situation, the alliance plans to raise awareness through its marketing plan, conduct job fairs, promote job-shadowing programs, try to create teacher "externships" so they can see how private businesses operate, and develop a Web site in which businesses can post one job opening that would appear on numerous other Web sites. The alliance also aims to dispel the myth that the region has no employment opportunities for people who live in the region. It hopes to offer forums for educators and business representatives to meet and share their experiences, and set up mentoring programs to give students a chance to see local businesses.
We support BEA's initiatives. The alliance may make a significant difference in the years ahead.
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Discobulous
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11-23-08 10:00 AM
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Feels good, looks good....let's try it on.
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