Connecting the dots

Connecting the dots

Educators, families and businesses familiar with our message know that Douglas County Partners for Student Success and the Umpqua Valley STEAM Hub have been spreading the word about the numerous paths that can lead youth to high-demand, high-wage jobs.

As the 2017-18 academic year continues, we plan to double down on one of our early rallying cries: Open Doors for Bright Futures.

It sounds good, but what does it mean? How do kids in small, rural communities find out what career opportunities are available, imagine themselves in those jobs and then trace out the steps required to take them there?

We’d like to answer those questions in the weeks and months ahead by sharing stories of local people who have done all of that. In some cases, they walked right up to a door and opened it. For others, there were detours and other stops on the road to fulfilling jobs.

There are many ways for young people to connect their educations to thriving careers. We’ve reported on numerous events connected to educational programs and perspectives, especially from our Expanding Horizons Summer Camps. One of our goals going forward is to talk with local adults to find out how they managed to build the skills and resumes needed to get to their current positions. If you have a story to share or would like to recommend someone, please contact Tricia Jones at tricia.jones@douglasesdl.k12.or.us or Gwen Soderberg-Chase at gwen.soderberg-chase@umpqua.edu. We are ready to share your story with the youth and families of Douglas County.

We’ll bring you these profiles as we collect them. Ultimately, we hope to compile them into a format that demonstrates that there are many, many ways to take the journey from classroom to career, regardless of your interests and abilities.

Stay tuned for more information.