Greater Spokane Incorporated (GSI) is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to promoting economic growth in the Spokane region. One of the ways that GSI is achieving this goal is through its partnership with ESD 101 to form Career Connect Northeast (CCNE), which is one of the regional networks of Career Connect Washington. CCNE covers the seven counties of Northeast Washington, increasing opportunities for collaboration in business and education. This connects people from middle school to 30 years old with local businesses and provides them with the skills and experience they need to succeed in the workforce.
A career pathway is what can take a person from where they are now to a new career and is comprised of three separate experiences, career explore, career prep and career launch. Each pathway can be unique to the person and unique to the career, most pathways having multiple options.
The Career Explore phase is an opportunity for students to explore options by participating in a career fair such as one of the Trades Nights, or a Business AfterSchool. Business AfterSchool is an experience organized by Greater Spokane Incorporated where local businesses open their doors to students from around the region to see these careers in action.
Career Preps are typically a high school career and technical education course, where the student discovers more about the industry and learns foundational skills while also earning school credit. There are several summer programs in the Spokane region put on by local industries.
The third stage of a career pathway is Career Launch, which is a work-based program that combines classroom with workplace learning and leads to a postsecondary credential, all while the student earns a wage. A classic example of this in Spokane is a registered apprenticeship. There are many registered apprenticeships in Spokane, trades such as electrician, plumbing and HVAC but also careers in healthcare, manufacturing, and energy.
Promoting career pathways is just one of the ways that GSI and CCNE are working to promote economic growth in the Spokane region. GSI and CCNE are helping to build a strong and vibrant economy in the region by connecting students and job seekers with local businesses and, helping to develop necessary skills to succeed in the workforce,
A student that learns on the worksite becomes a confident and competitive candidate and industry gains an entry level employee that already knows the ropes. There are many ways for education and industry to work together and each way offers a chance to build relationships with future employees. To create these learning opportunities, often times you just have to ask.
To learn more about Greater Spokane Incorporated, sign up for their monthly newsletter and check out their community calendar, you can visit the website here.
