WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
TURNING PASSIONS INTO GREAT FUTURES
Every kid has a future, and they come to The Club to figure out what they’re born to do.
Far too many youth today feel ill-prepared to take on life’s responsibilities, including being ready to succeed in the workforce. Our goal is to help young people get ready for life’s next big steps, including the world of work. We know that kids start thinking early about their careers, and we want to expose and prepare them for as many options as possible by intentionally developing the skills they need to be career and life-ready.
To help young people meet the workforce challenges of tomorrow, they need safe spaces, positive mentorship, and work experiences today.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan is excited to invest in its Benton Harbor Teen Center to pilot the next level of workforce development programming for teens, particularly those residing in Benton Harbor. To accomplish this, the Club is partnering with committed investors to evolve the current Teen Center in Benton Harbor and create new partnerships to enhance workforce programming for young people.
Best Buy is supporting the creation of a Teen Tech Center in the current facility's lower level, while the remainder of The Club will be dedicated to programs that focus on academic success, character and leadership development, healthy lifestyles, and a renewed focus on life skills and workforce readiness.
High School Programs
In partnership with Youth Solutions, our Workforce Development Program is designed to introduce middle school-aged youth to various career paths. Participants have the opportunity to network and learn from trained professionals to gain experience and knowledge in various career fields.
Exploring Passions
Young people can start building their expectations for careers as early as age 11. Research also asserts youth should have access to quality information by career professionals, positive encounters with employers and employees, first-hand experiences in workplaces and opportunities to gain career advice and support based on their interests and diverse needs.
Developing Essential Skills
Staff use targeted programs, experiences, activities, and interactions with youth to build essential skills through experiential and environmental learning. Clubs should also seek partnerships that broaden youth access to skill development opportunities throughout youths’ Club Experience.
Real-World Application
To prepare teens for success in the workplace, it is essential to provide practical work opportunities for them to sharpen newly gained skills. Such experiences will prepare young people with transferable skills and valuable training to transition into careers of their own. These experiences can include service-learning, first jobs, in-Club internships, external internships with companies and pre-apprenticeships.
Middle School Programs
In partnership with Youth Solutions, our Workforce Development Program is designed to introduce middle school-aged youth to various career paths. Participants have the opportunity to network and learn from trained professionals to gain experience and knowledge in various career fields.
Guest Speaker Series
- Law Enforcement
- Entrepreneurs
- Doctors
- Lawyers
- Manufacturing Managers
- Bankers
Goal-Setting
Participants work on vision boards and Individual development plans in order to set realistic personal and career goals. This process empowers our members to build their own great future by working towards the career that they want.
Meaningful Trips
Participants have the opportunity to participate in the Jobs for Michigan Graduates (JMG) Career Development Conference in Lansing and take part in the year-end field trip where members will explore every aspect of working at an amusement park.
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