Topics

RISE participants discussed work that was being done throughout the Valley to prepare students for careers. The following are notes from the meeting:

• Internship Discussion
• Wesbanco doesn’t have a point person for internships. They are working closely with WLU and Franciscan to identify top students and provide them with information about career opportunities.
• The Health Plan tries to connect with faculty to provide an “internship match.” Students are often not sure what do with a career in healthcare management. They conduct mock interviews. The Health Plan has had good success with WLU interns in terms of having them work as employees later. HR plays a minimal role in internships.
• Williams and Lea is trying to build a funnel from local colleges. Needs to connect with the right people at the college.
• Career Connection has seen a huge gape in support for students as they come out of college and go into a career.
• Brooke Anderson shared her internship experience with the Community Foundation. She learned about the community and got “off the hill” as part of her experience.
• Apprenticeships: Travis Miller shared information about apprenticeships in IT offered through a grant through the WV Community and Technical College System. The program provides funding to help students overcome barriers they may have. More than 200 businesses are taking part.
• WVNCC emphasized that some industries need employees. EMT was an example of how the college developed a program in this area to satisfy workforce needs. Most of their programs end in an internship. Their students are born here and stay here. They have pathways set up to help students decided what they want to do.
• It appears that relationships between employers and faculty/staff at higher education institutions was a key way to facilitate internships and apprenticeships.
• Students often prefer to work at Walmart or their high school job due to pay rates than take on an internship.
• Career Preparedness while in College
• We must start earlier talking with students about career options.
• We should try to expose them workplace cultures so they are not so shocked when they enter the workplace.
• Bring students downtown to tour businesses.
• Housing and Transportation Topics
• Transportation to jobs or internships could be a concern for some students.
• Summer housing for internships may be limited.
• The Nailers summer housing could be used.
• Housing for new employees is generally an issue in Wheeling.
• Handshake
• WLU is getting students set up in Handshake. Need to incorporate into the curriculum. If they sign up too soon, they forget about it.
• Students wait too long to think about their first job and career.
• There was some question about the number of hires that are made that come from Handshake leads.
• WVNCC does not use Handshake. Wheeling University does.
• Goals and Action Items
• Keep graduates local.
• We should be a “catalyst for keeping them here.”
• Promote job shadowing
• Look at how we could fund internships
• Invite Seniors to Business After Hours events
• Get into schools to start students thinking about careers and college majors much earlier

Key Outcomes

• Dr. Borchers will convene a group consisting of Tammy Feiock, Kurt Zende, Mike Howard, Antoinette Geyer, Alex Weld, Stephanie Hockenberry, Andrew Lewis, Phil Klein, Sherri Theaker, Travis Miller, and Ann Saurbier to create an action plan to address challenges identified.

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