There is a partnership in Huron County that is working to bridge the gap between what’s being taught in the classroom and what’s needed in local industry careers in rural counties.
The goal is to help show kids what is possible, with or without a college degree, and keep home-grown talent in hometowns.
It is a cool feeling to be in high school with the world at your fingertips. Virtually anything you want to do, you can here in Crystal Kelley’s computer science class at New London Local Schools.
"What Logan is doing now is a knee replacement surgery," said Kelley as she watched the senior perform the procedure in virtual reality.
"What's crazy about the VR is even though a lot of them don’t look hyper-realistic, they still feel real," she said.
Her students use a 3D computer graphics game engine to create virtual reality simulations for different jobs.
"This really could be done with any kind of career," she said.
Especially for careers in their own backyard, which Ms. Kelley learned all about through an experience called the Huron County Teacher Business Bootcamp.
"The boot camp really showed me not only different careers that our kids could do, but also what skills they would need for those jobs," she explained. "I had no idea a lot of the careers that are right here in Huron County.”
The governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation funds the program, which is organized by the North Point Educational Service Center and Huron County Growth Partnership.
Kelley was among the educators from around the county who participated in the program this summer that immerses teachers in area businesses.
"To bridge that gap between schools, graduation, and students going into the workforce," said Kayla Cross, Economic Development Coordinator for the Huron County Growth Partnership.
Cross said the goal is to empower teachers with firsthand knowledge of local industries and career opportunities so they can better guide and inspire students toward viable career paths within the region.
"That's also the goal, is retaining and developing our workforce here," she added. "By taking the teachers out, we’re exposing more students.”
Firelands Electric Cooperative was one of the businesses the teachers toured.
Don Englet said they were thrilled to share the opportunities at the nonprofit utility.
"The billing and accounting department to our marketing group, and our outside crews -- what our line crews and engineering operations people do," said Englet.
He said it’s important for kids in rural areas to see their future here. He said their work ethic and talents are needed to keep communities strong.
Plus, as a dad, he knows what a bonus it is when they do choose to stay.
"It's important to me to have them close to home so they can come to the house and have dinner on Sunday," smiled Englet.
"You can do a lineman from Firelands Electric or a factory," Kelley said about the different VR simulations the students can create. "Whatever it is they’re interested in and want to create!"
Kelley uses her boot camp knowledge to help her students learn about different jobs through the VR they research and create, but it’s teaching them something else, too.
"I want to be a music performer and educator," said Logan Lewis, a 12th grader. "Hopefully, major in percussion.”
Lewis said he's recently had a change of heart about what he'll pursue for a career after high school.
And, while he doesn't see a future as a surgeon, he said the class and care make him feel invested and that his success in life -- both professionally and personally— matters here.
"The teachers who worry about what I’m going to do in the future, and who wonder what my interests are, and how I can make that into a career and not just how to make money outside of high school," is what matters to him, he said.
It is Kelley’s hope for all her students, with the world at their fingertips and whether they stay or go, that they find happiness.
"Something they can go, ‘Oh, I like this,'" she said.
This past summer was the third session of the teacher business boot camp that is also underway in neighboring counties.
The teachers also get college credit for participating in the program.
Cross said they have helped several students secure internships at area businesses who heard about the opportunities from their teachers.
