College? Computer Technology? Commitment to country? There was no end to the career opportunities represented at the E4ME Career Program held at the Educational Service Center (ESC) of Northeast Ohio on October 24. More than 200 high school students from Cleveland’s inner ring suburban school districts, including 22 sophomores from Cuyahoga Heights High School (CHHS), attended. The ESC of Northeast Ohio and the First Ring Schools Collaborative hosted the event.
Students learned about opportunities focusing on the “E” options: (higher) Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Enlistment in the military. More than 40 panelists/ presenters representing a variety of fields as well as all branches of the United States military had the opportunity to interact with the students. Among the participants were:
Cuyahoga Valley Career Center Adult Education
Matrix Institute (auto tech training)
Baldwin Wallace University
John Carroll University
Kent State University
MAGNET
ComCon (Computer/Entrepreneur)
Love my Hair School of Cosmetology
RichMentality (clothing line)
Student Panelist CTE Marketing Program
Building Business Leaders of Tomorrow Today
Epicenter ABA Therapy
US Marshall Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force
FBI Cleveland
Metroparks
Richmond Heights Police
Federal Homeland Security
Ohio Dept of Natural Resources
Howley ASPIRE Nurse Scholars Program CCF
Metro Vet Academy
Brickworks
Cement Masons
Cleveland Builds
Tremco
Finishing Trades
Cement Masons
Sheet Metal Workers - Smart Local 33
Cleveland Builds
Cleveland Clinic Program Manager | Center for Youth & College Education
Greater Cleveland Partnership
Community Care Ambulance
BBLOTT Building Business Leaders of Tomorrow Today
Department of Natural Resources
Rust Belt Recruiting
US Army
US Navy
US Marines
Ohio Army National Guard
US Coast Guard
US AIR FORCE/Space Force
Euclid Fire Department
“Overall, this event provided an exceptional opportunity for students to gain insights into their career options by engaging with professionals who possess real-world experience,” said the Cuyahoga Valley Career Center’s Julie Regula, district career specialist for Cuyahoga Heights Schools and a member of the E4ME planning committee. “It enabled them to gather valuable information on how to create a plan, acquire necessary training, and achieve success across a variety of pathways.”
For CHHS’s sophomores, the event served as a follow-up to their recent exploration of the “E” options.They were able to delve deeper into each of these avenues, fostering meaningful conversations with professionals and enhancing their understanding of potential career paths.
The program also offered sessions that focused on the importance of developing “soft skills” needed to navigate workforce challenges with confidence and professionalism. These skills include a good work ethic, empathy, kindness, integrity, responsibility, being on time, good communication skills, and proper manners.
As an example of the focus on “soft skills,” Regula cited the Entrepreneurial Session which featured panelists who engaged in meaningful discussions about the significance of empathy, kindness, and maintaining a growth mindset. “Having knowledge of these skills help foster stronger interpersonal relationships, enabling students to collaborate effectively with coworkers,” said Regula.
During the “Open Sessions” students were encouraged to step out of their comfort zones and develop their networking skills by actively engaging with professionals.
CHHS sophomore Jayden Lamont was impressed with how the event “really opened my eyes to how many opportunities there are at different types of businesses.” Classmate Bre Wichert was surprised at how many different jobs and branches there are within the military.
“Talking to firefighters and seeing the truck and equipment locked in my choice to join the Fire/EMS program at CVCC,” remarked Cole Schukert. Meanwhile, CHHS sophomore Zach Graver used his networking skills to make a great contact with a representative in the cement masonry trade.
“Overall the students said that this was a great trip that offered so many different options for post high school work,” added CHHS English teacher Sheila Ogden, who accompanied the students to the event.
“We hope this day has inspired these students to think about their future in a new light and now have insight into making decisions on their next pathway,” said Tippi Foley, career pathways & early childhood consultant for the ESC of Northeast Ohio.
The First Ring Schools Collaborative (FRSC) is an association of school districts within and surrounding the City of Cleveland, Ohio. The Collaborative was established in 2000 with the goal of helping school districts address the common challenges related to poverty, mobility, diversity, and the achievement gap.
