American Graduate: Career Resources

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There isn’t a single path to success, but many ways to find well-paying work that you enjoy. Below, you will find community resources, vetted training programs, and more information on careers and career preparation for in-demand careers such as nurses, electricians, computer network administrators, machinists and dental assistants.

Building a business network is key to learning the industry and finding your passion. The Many Degrees of Building Your Business Network provides insight from a young adult who currently is building a professional network during remote times.

Educational Resources for use with Young Entrepreneurs: Resources to bring entrepreneurship education to teachers, parents, and students from the Ohio Afterschool Network (OAN), Young Entrepreneur Institute (YEI) Cleveland, and Ohio Career Readiness Network. These resources include 45-minute lessons introducing entrepreneurship and links to more free resources for a deeper look. Here are some great Northeast Ohio pitches.

Stuck @ Home StartUp: A webinar for teens, parents and friends to start a biz and build an empire - without changing out of their PJ's. The webinar is hosted by Shaan Patel, Brian Weisfeld, Jeannine Glista, and Moziah Bridges.

Participants will learn how to:

Develop an entrepreneurial mindset and come up with a great idea
Market and sell their product when stuck at home
Make a profit by getting the pricing right, and being creative with expenses

Marketplace: Apprenticeship programs could help solve labor market woes

Kevin O'Connor connects the work of This Old House with American Graduate Getting to Work and the ideastream website to connect the ideastream community with work resources.

Frontline Special, In The Age of AI on WVIZ/PBS

IN THE AGE OF AI investigates the promise and perils of artificial intelligence, from fears about work and privacy to rivalry between the U.S. and China. The documentary traces a new industrial revolution that will reshape and disrupt our lives, our jobs and our world, and allow the emergence of the surveillance society.

Journey to Jobs

JOURNEY TO JOBS is a one-hour special, presented as part of the American Graduate: Getting to Work initiative, public media’s commitment to help communities illuminate pathways to gainful employment in America. JOURNEY TO JOBS is hosted by PBS Newshour’s Hari Sreenivasan from the Tisch WNET Studios at Lincoln Center in New York City. Hari will take viewers across the country, highlighting individuals and organizations who are connecting job seekers to employment at each stop.

Nine Network: Two Cents

Many young people are looking to trade or career and technical (vocational) school as a lucrative alternative to a four-year degree. But which trades offer the most bang for your buck?

Meet two teachers from an Ohio Career and Technical School discussing their programs pre-COVID-19 and now from American Graduate partner station WOSU.

COVID-19 forced Career-Technical Schools to face the new reality of online teaching. C-TEC Licking County is one of many nearby Career-Technical Schools where students enroll for a hands-on learning experience. So how do you continue a "hands-on" teaching model remotely? Season Richards and Kyle Fulton are both instructors at C-TEC Licking County. They spoke with WOSU's Leticia Wiggins on how they've transitioned to online learning and what the job market looks like for their students. This interview is conducted as part of the American Graduate: Getting to Work initiative and is viewable here.

Meet Grace

A little training goes a long way! If you're looking for a career, see why Grace recommends getting into a trade in this video from American Graduate participants WHRO.

Mynextmove.org is an excellent free tool for browsing jobs. For each career, it lists the job outlook, salary range, education requirements, where to find local training programs, and open positions in your area. It also has a free online service that will match you to potential careers based on your interests.

The Ohio Department of Higher Education put together an interactive map of all Ohio public universities, branch campuses, community colleges, and career technical centers, so you can see what institutions are in your neighborhood.

Career technical centers train students in skills that prepare them for certain industries, such as the construction trades, software development, computer programming, cosmetology, and more. There is a center that serves every public high school community in Ohio, and classes are available to high schoolers for free or low-cost. Adult education is also offered (fees apply unless there is an open space in a high school class and an adult wishes to fill it). Find the career technical center in your region.

Ohio Means Jobs, Ohio Department of Education, and Ohio Department of Higher Education provide sample career pathways that show how you can get to the job you want. The following are a few pathways that they have outlined:

Find more career pathways from the Ohio Department of Education. Some pathways can begin as early as 7th grade.

Apprenticeship programs provide an opportunity for individuals to learn and earn. These are on-the-job training programs in various in-demand industries such as pipe-fitting, carpentry, and electrical work. Below are resources for finding an apprenticeship:

Community colleges can offer a less expensive way to earn certificates and degrees that qualify you for jobs you might want. Northeast Ohio community colleges offer many different programs in various in-demand industries. Find one near you on this map.

Anyone aged 14 and above can access over a dozen employment and training programs in “one-stop” at Ohio Means Jobs| Cleveland-Cuyahoga County located at 1910 Carnegie Ave. in downtown Cleveland. Services are free for those who qualify and include:

Preparation and testing for the High School Equivalent (e.g., GED)
Matching jobseekers to jobs – about 4,000 placed each year
Funding career technical training for skills that are in demand
Career counseling, resume development, job readiness training, skills assessment
Recruitment of talent for businesses that are hiring
Special services for those aged 14-24

If you have more resources to share, please contact celena.roebuck@ideastream.org.