News
May 24, 2021Capital Region Ed-to-Workforce Leaders Distribute Career Jam Explore with Junior Achievement’s Inspire Program to 4,000 Students Across 11 Counties Spotlighting Career Possibilities
The region’s education, workforce and economic development leaders pivoted in the pandemic to launch a 100 percent virtual Career JamTM enabling nearly 4,000 area youth to explore career pathways inspired by content from a diverse cross-section of employers. Youth made over 40,000 unique visits to area employers’ virtual booths, had over 7,500 views of video content and over 4,200 views of career documents. The greater capital region-wide 2021 “Career JamTM Explore” debuted in Columbia and Greene counties on April 14th with access extending through this Friday May 28th to schools encompassing Rensselaer, Albany, Schenectady, Schoharie, Saratoga, Warren, Washington, Hamilton and Essex counties.
Career JamTM Explore is presented with Junior Achievement’s JA InspireTM student career readiness program, and co-hosted by the Capital Region STEM HUB, Capital Region Chamber of Commerce and its Center for Economic Growth, the Workforce Development Institute, Rensselaer County Chamber of Commerce, Capital Region Workforce Development Board, Columbia Economic Development Corporation, Greene County Economic Development Corporation, Greene County Chamber of Commerce, Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, Capital Region BOCES, Questar III BOCES and WSWHE BOCES. The virtual Career JamTM Explore + JA InspireTM event informs area 8th and 9th graders by showing the diverse spectrum of skills in demand for jobs of all abilities, helping to prime local workforce development. Participating employers represent the broad array of available career clusters, from healthcare, advanced manufacturing, construction and tourism, to marketing, food distribution, public service and support for those with disabilities. Employers uploaded video and other content about their workplace, typical jobs, and industry information. A particularly unique aspect of Career Jam Explore is having employers share a video of a job or related skill to demonstrate to youth fundamental capabilities applied daily. Career Jam is virtually accessible via computer or mobile device to students and their families, teachers and participating employers.
“JA Inspire is designed to engage students to begin to explore their own skills and interests, learn about how those skills fit into different career clusters and high demand industries, and to begin researching the pathways to a career that inspires them; all before interacting with local businesses during Career Jam. When young people know where they’re going, we all advance. Junior Achievement is proud to partner with Career Jam,” says Tovah J. Lisky, President, Junior Achievement of Northeastern New York
“Career Jam is a Win-Win,” said Mark N. Eagan, President and CEO, Capital Region Chamber and the Center for Economic Growth (CEG). “It informs, motivates and inspires students, teachers and families by connecting them with area businesses to explore exciting and rewarding career opportunities in our Capital Region communities.”
“WDI has a mission, Growing and Keeping Good Jobs in New York, and we know in order to do that we must be working to engage, educate and inspire the next generation,” said Crickett Thomas-O’Dell, Regional Director, the Workforce Development Institute, Capital Region. “Being a part of Career Jam allows us to do just that. By providing an opportunity for 8th and 9th graders, their parents and educators to interact with diverse employers featuring skills in demand of all abilities, we are enabling everyone to identify tangible skills and knowledge to pursue promising careers. Workforce development is directly tied to our region’s economic development and programs like Career Jam will help to improve a region’s stability and future prosperity.”
Career awareness and exploration of local employers’ engaging content is designed to help inspire students’ future courses of study and career preparedness. By aligning educators with needs in the workplaces across the region, Career Jam aims to help streamline exchanges of resources to help local stakeholders build a workforce talent pipeline that will meet the skills in demand, grow more job opportunities and keep the region a competitive, desirable place for young people to live.
The strong participation of all regional BOCES, SUNY Adirondack, Columbia-Greene Community College, the University At Albany and many of the region’s trade unions, is helping students understand direct pathways to a diverse range of jobs.
“Partnering with Career Jam has allowed our students a much broader look at jobs available to them in the Capital District,” said Lindsay Simmons, Work-Based Learning Coordinator, Business Teacher, Albany High School. “Collaborating with employers allows us as educators to learn what is happening in different industries and incorporate that in our curriculum to make students more employable. Albany High School students are excited to participate in this year’s Career Jam.”
Career Jam’s virtual career booths, featuring videos in its virtual auditorium, as well as ability to text questions to employers about their workplace or career options, helps students’ career awareness. Interesting content can be captured to a virtual backpack for students to download for review with teachers, guidance counselors and at home while embedded digital games with prizes from KeyBank & Stewart’s Shops encourage more student engagement. Students are encouraged to login with their families to prompt discussions about the meaningful local careers possible and pathways to study in preparation for them (guests are invited to login at www.careerjam.vfairs.com by using guest@careerjam.com).
