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Share The Bell: Investing in Today’s Students for Tomorrow’s Workforce

‘Ring.’  There’s the bell telling us school is back in session. Do you find it nostalgic and maybe you’re slightly envious – making fewer decisions, being among friends, structure of predetermined classes, that square pizza, and yes, even the homework? The similarities of our school years and our working adult years seem to have disconnected and begun fading. Today, companies are feeling that disconnect – anxious about tomorrow’s workforce because they’re lacking skillsets and finding qualified candidates today seems incredibly daunting. Pull out your notebook class… we’re going to look at the problem by changing our focus from “how to hire better employees “to “how to help create them”. But first… let’s rewind a little and look at how we got here.

Story #1 – When We Were Young…

Back in middle school, I had Patricia – a lunch mentor buddy who visited me at least once a month. It unfortunately ended up being short lived and looking back, I can reflect that I didn’t receive any real profound personal/professional advice. However, I joyfully anticipated when she could come in and how crushed I felt when she had been respectfully transparent that she was unable to further commit time. I don’t know if she remembers me or the time she had given up, but I certainly haven’t forgotten her (or those emotions), even after 27 years.

Story #2 – Call me Cotton Eye Joe: Where did you come from, where did you go?

As an older Millennial (don’t come at me), the relentlessly repeated life equation during middle and high school was: Get good grades + Go to a [good] college + Get a degree = You’ll succeed. Misplaced steps meant your future looked like barely scraping by with a minimum wage job, severely discontent with life. The intense pressure to do “right” to avoid that potential reality felt similar to those emotional environmental ads to cut up your soda’s plastic rings or else the ducks would starve. After feeling undecided about life, I decided to delay college (to avoid playing college major roulette) and work full-time. After two tired years of retail, I went to a local technical college for Hospitality - having two amazing years, getting my associate’s degree (and three additional certificates) and being the first in the family to obtain a degree. I knew I was gonna make it! Fast forwarding a lot, 12 years in that industry and I had barely scratched the surface to achieve my goal. I had felt defeated and knew it was time to try something else. After returning to school & more exploration, I’m an Admin & Project Coordinator in the Architecture, Engineering, Construction (AEC) industry – a field I’d never envisioned myself in but loving (and WITHOUT a bachelor's degree).

The Future Starts Now

Now that we understand part of the journey and recognize today’s problem, what’s the solution? Answer: Invest in today’s students. If you had asked my 7, 13, and 18 year old self what I would be doing at 38, I wouldn’t have described my journey and present state. But honestly, I didn't know what I didn't know. I wasn't sure what my future could look like, what opportunities and options were available, or even how to connect with the people and organizations that could help me explore. I had people who cared about me, but didn’t have a community of people truly invested in my future. For our current students, it’s not our job to decide who they are going to be and what they are going to do/become. Our job is to empathically guide them via exposure, encouragement, skill development and opportunities. Our job is to help leave the world a better place than what we had.

How do we invest?

Investment might sound scary, large scale, and needs a lot of money, but it doesn’t have to be. Investing in today’s students can look like career exploration and exposure, confidence building, skill building, making learning possible and barrier removal. Our students don’t need one hero (individual or organization) – they need an entire community of adults willing to invest in them. The phrase: “It takes a village to raise a child” is more real than ever. Each one of us has the power to influence the experience a student has. By investing, we can show students encouragement and that someone cares both about their present and their future, provide career and life exposure, or help with food, supplies, career days, transportation/field trips.

 Investing in today’s students isn’t just developing the future talent pool for us. This is also supporting their entire well-being: avoid college major/job hopping roulette, avoid crippling student loan or credit card debt, frustrations or doubt if they chose the right path, and helping to avoid physical and mental illnesses due to stress, burnout and overwhelm.

How can You help?

              As part of the community village, you can help by sharing your time, knowledge, experiences, and opportunities. Look at what skill(s) are missing in your workplace today – what could you do to help a student develop it today? Talk to your nearby schools. Volunteer for after-school, community or initiative programs like Big Brother/Big Sister and Charleston County School District’s LOCAL. Speak at career day. Donate supplies. Vote for school-friendly programs and government/council members. Every little bit you do is impactful.

Well, there’s today’s bell… Class dismissed.