In today’s post, we invite you to learn more about On Ramp Appalachia, CAP’s newest grant program which strives to ease the pathway for students to pursue education at their local community colleges. On Ramp’s program director, Adam Warren, writes about how one aspect of the program, Workforce Connections Breakfasts, brings students face-to-face with a variety of professionals so they can learn more about possible careers in their own communities.
In a small room on the Ashe county campus of Wilkes Community College, a group of high school students sit at tables with working professionals from across Ashe County sharing chicken biscuits, fruit, coffee and juice, and most importantly, conversations about opportunities available in their home county. Professionals from multiple career industries including Outdoor Recreation, Radiography, Electrical Engineering, Machining, Government, Aviation Management, Emergency Services, Education, Agriculture, and Construction Management gave up time from their normal schedules to speak with rising seniors from the local high school. Conversations began with prompts ranging from, Can you describe a typical day in your job to What experiences outside of school prepared you for your career path. Students had the chance to learn about career pathways and fields they may never have considered on their own while also seeing how varied the career landscape looks in their own home county.
Similar events happened on the campuses of partner schools throughout the Spring 2024 semester. With the support of our community college coordinators including Lacey Kilby and Bekah Gardner, these experiences are the first push for a new Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development (RPED) grant called On Ramp Appalachia. On Ramp Appalachia is a partnership between four community colleges in western North Carolina, four school districts in western North Carolina, and Appalachian State University with a stated goal to identify students with little or no career or college aspirations and plans after high school and increase the numbers of these students that enroll and complete pathways at their local community college. The grant is structured to provide varying support to students at different times during their academic career. During 11th grade, students in partnering schools will have the chance to engage with professionals in their county through the Workforce Connection Breakfasts and Classroom Visits as workforce partners join them during the school day. As students move into 12th grade, those students without career or college plans are identified and provided targeted advising and support to not only find a pathway, but make that pathway a reality for them. Once the identified students graduate from high school, they have the chance to participate in a Summer Bridge Program to best prepare them for the transition to community college. The students are further supported throughout their time in community colleges.
As a partnership between multiple entities, the Workforce Connection Breakfasts were designed and implemented by a group consisting of community college professionals, school district personnel, and workforce partners with support from the On Ramp team at Appalachian State University.
During the Workforce Connection Breakfast held in partnership with Western Piedmont Community College, one of the workforce partners shared that, “This is the way we ought to engage with students. At a traditional career fair, students don’t come up to you, this model puts us directly in front of students and makes them speak to us.”
The Workforce Connection Breakfasts provide additional connection points not only for the workforce partners, but also for the students. At the workforce breakfast in Ashe County a student stated:
“I literally do not think about career or next steps at all until somebody mentions a career fair and then, it's just walking around. This event actually let's me talk to people and see what is there in my community”
On Ramp’s Workforce Connection Breakfasts ended with a survey asking students to answer questions about their career aspirations, their college and career pathways, and the impact an event such as the breakfast had on their future plans. The grant teams will use this survey data alongside direct student connections to work to identify students and develop tailored pathways for these students as they progress into their next steps.
Students engage with local professionals during a Workforce Connection Breakfast in Ashe County. On Ramp Appalachia is the newest grant program administered by College Access Partnerships and strives to ease the pathway for students to pursue education at their local community colleges.
Students engage with local professionals during a Workforce Connection Breakfast in Ashe County. On Ramp Appalachia is the newest grant program administered by College Access Partnerships and strives to ease the pathway for students to pursue education at their local community colleges.
Students engage with local professionals during a Workforce Connection Breakfast in Ashe County. On Ramp Appalachia is the newest grant program administered by College Access Partnerships and strives to ease the pathway for students to pursue education at their local community colleges.