Businesses as Educators

Dear Friend,  The Mandate The state of Vermont has mandated that every high school student have a Personalized Learning Plan (PLPs) and an increased access to some form of a Work-Based Learning Experience. They call it Act 77, codename: Flexible Pathways. Read more...

Time To Teach The long and the short of it is that the Education Gurus are acknowledging the power and wisdom in having our students see what the business world has to offer beforethey get out of high school. Why not get a real sense of just what skill sets a future employee will need while it is still possible to influence their personal education path? I like it. But, and there is always a but, that means that businesses in Franklin County have to expand the process of opening their doors and letting the students peek inside. And since we have a lot of students and they all need to take a peek, that means that all businesses, small and large will have to start allowing access. And this is a good thing. The more our students know about the employment opportunities that surround them in their home towns, the more likely they will want to do internships here and return here for their full time employment. And you are going to want them to do just that.       Let's Get Started: Op #1 On October 21st, the Franklin County Business and Professional Women along with the BFA Student Council and Business Department are hosting a Financial Literacy Day. Students from the Personal Finance and Career Exploration classes will visit 17 booths, manned by the business community - that's where you come in! Topics will cover Statistics, Banking, Housing, Utilities, Furniture, Groceries, Child Care, Transportation, Insurance, Life's Unexpected, Medical/Dental/Optical, Legal, Clothing, Pet & Vet, Charitable Donations, Entertainment, Travel and Financial Counseling. THEY NEED YOU - contact Barbara Fraser bfraser@fcsuvt.org, Marilyn Grunewald mlg1@aol.com or Jacqui Hood jacquih@comcast.net. Do it right now and do not make me beg. OK, PLEASE!   Let's Get Started: Op #2 Starting in November, the Chamber will be joining the NWTC to offer a series of Conversation Cafe' Breakfasts. This is similar to our Community Matters Breakfasts only these will include students and will focus on a single business type for each meeting. Think restaurants, then retail, then medical, then lodging, then manufacturing, then service, then who knows. Four or five reps from each business community will join a group of students and faculty for a lively discussion, open forum and food. Check these guys out for more insight: http://www.conversationcafe.org/. We will be introducing the dates and topics within the next week or so. In the meantime, sharpen up your round table meets speed dating techniques. These kids are going to love you. Contact me if you are interested in being part of a group.   Did You Know? At a matchmaking event he organized in 1998, Rabbi Yaacov Deyo brought along a gragger, the noisemaker Jews use during Purim. That night, in a Peet's Coffee & Tea in Beverly Hills, the Orthodox rabbi twirled his gragger to signal when it was time for the single men and women present to switch partners and spark up a conversation with the next stranger. "We thought 10 minutes for each date, because that was just an easier number to use in a busy coffeehouse," Deyo says. This entirely practical measure would inspire matchmakers all around the world.

Please make a Chamber membership part of your success strategy. Thank you for your continued support of the Chamber in your community.

Dave Southwick