On the last day of March, nearly 200 educators, industry professionals, and community partners gathered at CCAC Boyce Campus for the Consortium’s Future Ready Partnerships Conference. The day centered on a shared goal of building meaningful partnerships that prepare students for the future while helping employers connect with educators who are preparing their future workforce.
The morning kicked off with a panel of five professionals representing a wide variety of careers and backgrounds: Matt Macey, SAI Consulting Engineers; Brianna McMeekin, PNC; Constantino Rodriguez, elevatebio; Mike Storms, Ebara Elliott Energy; and Adrienne Miles, UPMC. They shared information about their industry, training opportunities, and the skills they are looking for in future employees.
Attendees then headed to breakout sessions covering topics such as apprenticeships, skilled trades, workplace skills, green buildings, and career pathways across healthcare, energy, engineering, aviation and education. Breakout sessions were designed to be interactive, giving participants the opportunity to share ideas and make connections. One standout session featured students presenting about their partnership with Coffee Tree Roasters that allows students to operate a real business throughout the school day.
The afternoon continued to provide ample opportunities for discussion and sharing of best practices in both formal and informal spaces. Table discussions provided a more intimate atmosphere for small group dialogue on topics that continued from the morning. The Consortium shared opportunities for schools to learn more about programs like Educator in the Workforce, Student Sustainability Design Challenge, and Future Ready Leaders, as well as services like support for Portrait of a Graduate.
There was no lack of excitement during lunch as the steady hum of networking and brainstorming filled the room. New ideas and upgrades to existing programs were plentiful as new connections and partnerships took shape.
Early feedback has been extremely positive, and it’s the Consortium’s sincere hope that this day began a ripple effect that will make a difference for many years to come. As one attendee put it, “This was the most motivating and empowering conference I’ve been to in years. I have been inspired again, thank you!”
The Consortium would like to thank our generous sponsors, PNC, UPMC Health Plan, and Carnegie Mellon University’s Leonard Gelfand Center for their support in making this conference possible.
