The Mesa County Workforce Center, School District 51 and the Grand Junction Area Chamber have entered into a unique partnership to fund a fulltime workforce coordinator position within the Chamber that will:
- Provide leadership and program management of the Young Entrepreneurs Academy including recruiting students and business volunteers that will assist middle and high school students start their own businesses.
- Manage and expand the Hire Me First Program which seeks to prepare high school students for the workforce through a series of seminars, self assessment exercises and job shadowing and internship experiences.
- Cultivate relationships with businesses, industry groups, non-profit and community-based organizations to be actively involved in meaningful relationships that benefit students, teachers and schools.
- Manage relationships between schools and industry partners as it relates to creating and sustaining 21st century career pathways for Grand Valley area students.
“I am excited to be in a partnership with such strong entities that realize the great things business, education and government can achieve when we work closely together,” explained Diane Schwenke, President and CEO of the Chamber. “This position will benefit students and businesses as we prepare to hire the 21st century workforce for businesses within our community.”
Tracey Garchar, Executive Director of Mesa County Department of Human Services and Acting Director of the Mesa County Workforce Center agrees, “Partnering on this Coordinator position exemplifies the commitment of our community in prioritizing our future workforce. This deliberate focus and resource, assisting students in identifying their strengths and connecting them to career paths as early as possible, will greatly increase their successful transition into the working world.”
Click here to download the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce July 2015 Newsletter.