The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
FORM RELATIONSHIP, FORGE CAREER PATH
Elyria Catholic adds new career services program to link high school with college
Elyria Catholic High School, 725 Gulf Road, has launched a new program that will allow students to explore career opportunities.
“I was at Baldwin Wallace (University) for 30 years,” said Elyria Catholic President Annie Heidersbach. “I was director of career services and I transitioned into director of corporate and foundation relations, which is building relationships with companies.
“It was similar to what I had to do with career services and building the relationship with them for interns.”
Heidersbach said her experience inspired the program.
“I started this position July 1,” she said. “I felt, through the process of me getting the position here, that we could bring the higher education model of career development to a high school level. That would make an Elyria Catholic education more distinctive than it is already. We are bringing a career development program earlier to students at the high school level.
“So, when they are applying to colleges, they might have a better idea about what they might want to major in.”
Heidersbach said having the head start in high school is very beneficial for students.
“You change majors and that costs you money and you get frustrated,” she said. “I’m not saying that every student will leave knowing what they want to do.
“But, if they participate in the program, they may have a general area they’re pursuing. They may also know what they don’t want to do.”
Heidersbach said the program is called exp(3).
“It’s explore, experience and express,” she said. “Explore and experience are pretty easy to understand; you are going to explore careers and experience them hands-on.
“But, the express part is that if you don’t reflect on the opportunities you are losing their meaning. It’s the reflecting on the experience that is needed if you want to do it fully.”
Heidersbach said the program really is coming together faster than she thought it would.
“We thought maybe let’s organize it and we will launch it in August of 2021,” she said. “But, with the great team I have here, we decide to do it now, in January.
“We have a vision out there and we are rolling out a new program every week.”
Program assistance
Heidersbach said she brought in one of her former Baldwin Wallace colleagues to help with the program.
“Judy Mey, I worked with her at Baldwin Wallace, in career services there and she agreed to come here for this program we’re doing,” Heidersbach said. “She has a tremendous wealth of knowledge for career development and helping students.”
Heidersbach said Elyria Catholic has been in contact with several organizations for the program.
“One of the components of the program, Career Treks, we will start in the summer,” she said. “In June, if COVID cooperates with us, we will take a group of students that are motivated and want to explore career options and we will focus on a career cluster focusing on engineering and technology.
“Several companies are doing a on-week thing with the students. The students will then come back and reflect on the experience, have discussions and send thankyou notes to that corporation.
“So far, we have Ridge Tool, Parker Hannifin, and we are having discussions and are pretty certain about adding three other organizations right now. We are also exploring the opportunity to partner with a higher ed institution in the area.”
Heidersbach said there is a virtual meeting component.
“This month, we will have one day, one lunch hour where Parker Hannifin will be doing Zoom Into Your Future,” she said. “It will be Zoom with two professionals, each of those four days in a one-hour format. They will talk about their career and take questions from the student.
“This is all about Elyria Catholic student development and building partnerships with organizations in the community. It’s a winwin for everyone involved because the businesses are trying to attract a talent pool.”
Heidersbach said students will learn important life skills.
“We go over how to write a resume, thank-you letter and a proper email,” she said. “That was all stuff I taught at Baldwin Wallace, and we are doing it at the high school level.
“As students look into their careers and development, we are here for guidance along the way.”
Networking
Mey, exp(3) coordinator and career coach at Elyria Catholic, said she is there to help guide students.
“Annie recruited me to be a part of this initiative because of what I did at Baldwin Wallace, and it’s really about helping the students explore the different careers out there and reflect on what they’ve learned,” she said. “The important thing for students today is learn about themselves so they can make the right decisions for themselves.
“It’s important for someone to explore something that they don’t know what it is, maybe shadow a professional, so they know what they want to do.”
Mey said something she has had to constantly tell students over the years is the value of networking is critical.
“The word ‘networking’ can be a little overwhelming, but I break it down by saying it’s just your contacts,” she said. “It’s friends, family and then you build it up. It then helps you along your career journey.”
Mey said she is looking forward to all the meetings she will have with students as they plan.
“Individual advising is something that I really love,” she said. “I love meeting the students, finding where they are, so we can start where they are.
“It’s important for resumes, cover letters, helping them prep for an interview or things like that. It’s all about giving them these skills they will use a lifetime.”
Cara Finnegan, 18, a senior at Elyria Catholic, has taken advantage of Mey’s expertise for her upcoming interview about a potential scholarship to Ohio University.
“I was referred to speak to (Mey) because I’m just trying to prepare for a virtual interview,” Finnegan said. “It’s just to prepare me for the interview so I can do the best that I can.
“I’m really excited (about the new program).” she said. “It’s unfortunate that I’m a senior, but I’m excited to see all the doors this will open for students.”
“I’m really excited (about the new program). It’s unfortunate that I’m a senior, but I’m excited to see all the doors this will open for students.” — Cara Finnegan, 18, a senior at Elyria Catholic