Finding talent is certainly one of the most frustrating things facing employers. And I’ve found that as we talk about this challenge, invariably the topic of education, schools and children emerge. So today, let’s dive into this a bit.
First and foremost, I’m in constant communication with local educators at all levels. In fact, I’m married to one of them. These people do incredible work with our youth. And let’s not tackle the educational system as a whole today. Instead, let’s look at two specific ways our community and business leaders can get engaged.
First, there is an incredible nonprofit growing right here in Cape called ABCToday. This organization brings schools, businesses, parents, churches and other key partners together around the table all focused on improving student outcomes in attendance, behavior, reading and math. They are still in need of businesses to have a seat around that table.
Next, Junior Achievement has a well-developed curriculum designed to teach kids basics about community, finance, government and more. They do this by enlisting volunteers from the business community to go into the classroom for less than an hour a week to teach a pre-developed lesson. I know they are looking for more volunteers right now.
These are just two examples of programs that allow us to get involved. There are more. Ultimately, we can talk about what’s wrong or we can volunteer, we can get into the schools and see the amazing work being done and play a small role in helping our youth be better prepared for life and work.
Resources
• Junior Achievement
