Schools, business look for more partnerships

Ideas from workshop include facility tours, job shadowing and community hours to graduate.

Susan Willoughby-Crawford, a Middletown High School English teacher, talks with Tim Mott, the director of off-campus program for Cincinnati State, on Wednesday during the Partners in Progress event at the Pendleton Arts Center in Middletown.

Staff photo by Pat Auckerman Susan Willoughby-Crawford, a Middletown High School English teacher, talks with Tim Mott, the director of off-campus program for Cincinnati State, on Wednesday during the Partners in Progress event at the Pendleton Arts Center in Middletown.

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By Andy Sedlak, Staff Writer 11:35 PM Wednesday, June 22, 2011

MIDDLETOWN — Over appetizers and punch, Middletown school officials mingled with local business leaders in the Pendleton Art Center on Wednesday afternoon to discuss partnership opportunities that will help students.

This past winter, the district sent out more than 200 surveys to businesses, asking them to identify skills they look for in new employees, skills needed for advancement, and whether businesses were interested in working with interns.

Communication skills, personality and math and literacy strengths were identified as general skills sought by businesses, while responsibility, productivity and collaborative strengths were among skills identified as needed for advancement.

Of the 61 businesses that responded, 14 would be interested in working with students.

Jason Marshall of Midwest Switch Gear Services — specializing in the remanufacture of circuit breakers for power plants and large industry — said he was happy to participate.

“Kids coming out of high school wouldn’t necessarily need learned skills, they just need to be mechanically inclined,” said Marshall, who added his company recently hired a couple of Butler Tech graduates.

According to survey results, 57 percent of responding businesses said no experience was required for an entry-level position, and 48 percent said they hire workers out of high school.

“We, as a school system, seem to be very good at saying, ‘We need your help, community,’ ” said Superintendent Greg Rasmussen. “But we also know we need to say, ‘How can we help you?’ ”

The 50 business leaders, social services leaders and school officials who attended the workshop broke off into groups and jotted down ideas for partnerships. Those ranged from facility tours to job shadowing to implementing a requirement of posting community hours in order for students to be eligible to graduate.

Local business people unable to attend Wednesday meeting — but who would still like to work with Middletown schools — can contact Shelley Fuge at (513) 217-2630.

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