September is Workforce Development Month! This month is a time dedicated to recognizing the efforts of individuals and organizations committed to fostering a skilled and adaptive workforce. We celebrate initiatives that aim to enhance job training, promote lifelong learning, and bridge the gap between education and employment. It’s not just about filling positions; it’s about empowering people with the skills they need to thrive in an ever-evolving job market. And at Discovery Education, developing the future workforce is a priority every month of the year – not just during Workforce Development Month.
By partnering with global brands who share our visions of building an impactful workforce, we’re working to prepare students for the future through real-world learning opportunities that bridge industries to classrooms and nurture students’ career curiosity. Join us as we explore how these collaborations are shaping the future of work and preparing students for successful careers.
Why Workforce Development Matters
Workforce development is more than a buzzword; it’s a strategic imperative for businesses and communities alike. By investing in workforce development, we ensure that individuals have the skills, knowledge, and opportunities to excel in their careers. This, in turn, leads to a more dynamic and resilient economy. Let’s take a closer look at why fostering workforce development is crucial.
Enhances Employability
Workforce development initiatives improve employability by equipping individuals with the skills demanded by today’s job market. Through targeted training programs, people can stay current with industry trends and technologies, making them more competitive job candidates.
Bridges Skill Gaps
One of the primary goals of workforce development is to bridge skill gaps within industries. By identifying areas where there is a shortage of qualified professionals, we can create educational programs and partnerships that address these deficiencies, ensuring a well-rounded and capable workforce.
Boosts Economic Growth
A well-developed workforce is a key driver of economic growth. When businesses have access to skilled workers, they can expand and innovate more effectively. This not only benefits the companies themselves but also stimulates local economies and creates more job opportunities.
Strategies for Fostering Career Readiness in K-12 Students
Preparing K-12 students for the workforce of tomorrow is essential toward workforce development. Early exposure to various career paths and skill-building opportunities can set the foundation for lifelong success. Here’s how we work with corporate partners to foster career readiness among young learners.
Connecting Industry Professionals to Classrooms
Bringing industry professionals into the classroom creates a vibrant bridge between education and the real world. This connection offers students a unique opportunity to engage with individuals who are actively shaping their fields, allowing them to ignite their curiosity and gain insights that go beyond traditional lessons.
Our Career Connect platform offers industry professionals an easy-to-use virtual platform to bring their unique expertise to classrooms across the country, inspire students from all backgrounds, and help develop the future workforce. In addition to virtually bringing professionals to classrooms, Career Connect features resources from our partner Lyda Hill’s IF/THEN® collection. Educators can access a digital library of videos and instructional resources that authentically highlight women in STEM careers – making it even more seamless for educators to expose their students to a wide variety of career possibilities.
Creating Engaging, Career-Specific Classroom Content
Our corporate partners play a pivotal role in advancing workforce development through their innovative initiatives and unwavering commitment to education. We collaborate to develop engaging and relevant curriculum materials that spark career curiosity. These resources empower students to explore different career paths, see the real-world impact of their education, and gain a deeper understanding of the industries they may work in one day.
- The STEM Careers Coalition provides ready-to-use activities, career videos, and accompanying resources that encourage exploration of the vast opportunities in STEM-related fields.
- Takeda’s Better Health in Action career profiles and activities take students inside the lives of passionate health professionals who leverage STEM skills to strengthen communities and create more equitable health outcomes.
- The Country Music Association’s Working in Harmony program allows students to explore the world of Country Music through video activity bundles. Learners can delve into various career opportunities available and learn what it takes to be one of the creative professionals working behind the scenes as well as on the stage.
- Career Tours by Amazon are free, interactive virtual field trips that teachers can share with their students to inspire them to pursue careers of the future by showcasing the real-life people and cutting-edge technology behind Amazon’s innovations.
- Trane’s Sustainable Futures program offers career tours that take students inside the world of Trane Technologies, where employees across various fields work to create comfortable, energy-efficient indoor environments.
This Workforce Development Month, we acknowledge that workforce development is a continuous effort. By investing efforts into bridging industry to classroom and creating career-specific educational resources, we can help ensure that students are equipped with the curiosity, knowledge, and skills needed to excel in the future workforce. We invite you to join us in celebrating Workforce Development Month by exploring how our corporate partnerships are making a difference in classrooms across the country. Together, we can create a brighter future for the next generation of workers.
