Coming Together for Community& Career Connected Learning

Allison Ricket, BECAN Director & Education Engagement Specialist

BB2C and partner organization Rural Action held the first Appalachian Community and Career Connected Learning Summit just a few weeks ago. Attending the summit were over 40 people from 13 counties in Ohio and West Virginia. 
 
Summit participants discussed the goal of Community and Career Connected Learning, which is to create a learning system that integrates community partnerships and career awareness into experiential, place-based learning for students. In order to make Community and Career Connected Learning a reality offered to all students, it takes involvement from all sectors of the community.  This was reflected by the participants themselves, who almost equally represented education, community, and government and business.  
 
During the summit, those who attended heard from students and program leaders about high-yield programs from around the region that work to connect students to the community and to career paths. Learning about how other organizations run successful programs such as high school internships, job shadowing, professional skill-building leadership camps, and career mentoring helps us to imagine what might work in our own home communities. Attendees also traded ideas about ways in which to sustain the work and share impact with the community through marketing and communication strategies.
 
At the Summit, some of the major challenges facing Community and Career Connected Learning in our region were tackled as well.  These challenges include helping students find transportation, reaching all students, engaging teachers and administrators, and integrating the community in learning during COVID-19 restrictions. Through small group networking, the participants shared resources, ideas, and solutions to help move the work forward.
 
Summit attendees said they were “inspired” and felt “less alone knowing that others were dealing with the same things". This underscores the purpose of BB2C BECAN (Business Engagement with Career Awareness Network) which works to create, support, and maintain a network of individuals and organizations seeking to build Community and Career Connected Learning.  Such a network allows for the sharing of resources, ideas, and practices while simultaneously leveraging our unified voice as a region to communicate our successes and priorities at the state level. 
 
At the Summit, we began to create a shared vision for Community and Career Connected Learning for our region. That vision includes providing every student in Southeastern Ohio and Beyond with experiential, community or work-based learning experiences that expands student networks, develops competencies, and builds economic strength. 
 
UP NEXT: Mini Summits that focus on specific topics and areas of Community and Career Connected Learning.  Join us on December 2 from 9:30 - 11 a.m. to engage in a continued conversation around how to market and communicate this work to engage students, businesses, and community leaders.  Register to attend.

Email us to learn more about how to bring your county together around Community and Career Connected Learning for your students, for your businesses, and for your community.