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IALR Seeking Partners for Career Expo

IALR Seeking Partners for Career Expo

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) seeks businesses, organizations and volunteers to support the 11th annual Career ChoICE Youth Expo. This year’s expo events will be on Sept. 25-26 in Chatham and Oct. 9-10 in Farmville.

Through the Career ChoICE Youth Expo, students IMAGINE their potential, CONNECT with employers and EXPLORE career possibilities. Career ChoICE connects students to regional employment information and employers through hands-on activities and virtual resources.

On Sept. 25-26, the Career ChoICE Youth Expo West at the Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex in Chatham will involve schools in the following school divisions: Danville, Halifax, Henry, Martinsville, Patrick and Pittsylvania. On Oct. 9-10, the Career ChoICE Expo East at Hampden-Sydney College in Farmville will serve schools in the following divisions: Amelia, Buckingham, Brunswick, Cumberland, Charlotte, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway and Prince Edward.

Thousands of students attend these annual events, which are part of IALR’s commitment to work-based learning and connecting students to careers.

“The Career ChoICE Youth Expo exposes students to different career opportunities in our region and allows local companies to meet and educate their future talent. We are looking for volunteers, activity providers and sponsors to support this impactful event that allows students to discover and explore future career opportunities.” – Jessie Vernon, Director, Employer Engagement & Experiential Learning, IALR

There are several ways to support the Career ChoICE Expo events in Chatham and Farmville.

Hands-On Activities

  • IALR is looking for businesses, organizations and educational institutions that can facilitate hands-on activities. These activities make the Expo memorable and impactful. Employers and educational providers benefit from introducing students to their organizations, giving them a snapshot of working in different fields.
  • Activity forms must be received by Sept. 2 to be included on the students’ activity maps.
  • Any organization interested in facilitating an activity that needs help developing an idea should contact jessie.vernon@ialr.org.

Organize & Facilitate a Hands-On Activity

Career ChoICE Youth Expo West 2023

Volunteer 

  • IALR needs volunteers to help welcome students, pass out backpacks, guide groups through the Expo and ensure smooth operation.
  • Volunteer registration deadlines: Sept. 11 for the Chatham event and Sept. 25 for the Farmville event.

Register to Volunteer

Submit a Young Professional Profile

  • Young professionals in the region can submit a Young Professional Profile (or encourage a young professional you know to submit a profile) for the Career ChoICE website and potential inclusion in the Career ChoICE booklet.
  • Profiles submitted by Aug. 21 will be considered for this year’s printed Career ChoICE booklet, which is given to every student who attends.

Submit a Professional Profile

Career ChoICE Youth Expo East 2023

Sponsor 

  • Sponsorships will support both Career ChoICE and AspHIRE mock interview days. As such, sponsorship levels include benefits through both programs, increasing the organization’s visibility through both the number of student participants and the number of events.
  • Sponsorship commitments, logos and ads must be received by Aug. 16 to ensure they appear in the printed Career ChoICE booklet.

Suport the Career ChoICE Expo 

V-TOP AND EmPOWER Webinar Coming to Dan River Region

V-TOP AND EmPOWER Webinar Coming to Dan River Region

Webinar Presents Resources to Recruit Talent and Strengthen Talent Pipeline

The Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce, the Martinsville Henry County Chamber of Commerce, and the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) are partnering to provide Chamber members an opportunity to learn about the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP) and EmPOWER work-based learning framework. Both initiatives are designed to assist employers in recruiting talent and strengthening regional talent pipelines. V-TOP is funded through the Commonwealth Innovative Internship Fund and Program. The purpose of the program is to expand paid and credit-bearing student internships and other work-based learning opportunities in collaboration with Virginia employers and facilitate the readiness of students, employers, and institutions of higher education to participate in internship and work-based learning.

“This webinar is a direct result from requests of Chamber members in our annual membership survey,” said Anne Moore-Sparks, president and CEO of the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce. “Listening to the needs of business and responding with high quality, in-demand programming is a top priority. We are excited to partner with the Martinsville Henry County Chamber of Commerce and are fortunate to have IALR as a partner because of their experience and reputation in facilitating work-based learning opportunities.”

Logo for the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR).

There are several resources available through V-TOP to support businesses’ internship and work-based learning efforts, including modules to assist employers with developing an internship program, free mentor training, staffing agency services and internship stipend matching funds (for employers of certain sizes).

“Many of our chamber members are looking for ways to bring awareness to the talent pipeline. Our members are willing to utilize work-based learning opportunities as a valuable tool for introducing the workforce to their organizations,” said Brenell Thomas, president of the Martinsville Henry County Chamber of Commerce. “Partnering on this event made sense because it provides an efficient and convenient way for the members of both chambers to gain insight about the valuable resources available through V-TOP.”

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research is the regional V-TOP facilitator for the Danville Pittsylvania County (and greater GO Virginia Region 3) region. EmPOWER is IALR’s employer-driven system to empower and connect students to careers and provides employers with a variety of opportunities and formats to connect with their future talent.

“Work-based learning is an amazing way to connect with young talent and develop employees with the skills employers need. Work-based learning is incredibly diverse — it’s not just internships. IALR’s EmPOWER team is passionate about connecting employers to programs and resources that work for their organization.” – Jessie Vernon, Program Manager for the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research

The one-hour webinar will be facilitated by both Jessie Vernon, Advanced Learning Program Manager, and Kiana Dillard, Work-Based Learning Coordinator, at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research. While this webinar is designed for Chamber members only, non-Chamber businesses who are interested in additional information should contact Jessie Vernon at Jessie.Vernon@ialr.org or 434.766.6722.

There is no cost to attend but registration is required. 

Register Today

The Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce accelerates business growth by connecting its 560+ member organizations and 22,000 employee members to dynamic resources and networks. The Chamber’s number one goal is to help area businesses of all sizes to grow and prosper.

The Martinsville Henry County Chamber of Commerce is a membership organization comprised of businesses serving our community. With over 600 members, the Chamber acts as a voice for businesses in the region while also providing opportunities for networking, collaboration, and increased community exposure.

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves Virginia as a regional catalyst for economic transformation through applied research, advanced learning, manufacturing advancement, conference center services and economic development efforts. IALR’s major footprint focuses within Southern Virginia, including the counties of Patrick, Henry, Franklin, Pittsylvania, Halifax, and Mecklenburg along with the cities of Danville and Martinsville.

IALR to Lead Regional Work-Based Learning Collaborative

IALR to Lead Regional Work-Based Learning Collaborative

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) will lead the new Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP) Innovative Internship effort serving Southern Virginia. Involving higher education institutions, K-12, economic development organizations and employers, this collaborative will promote and develop opportunities for employers and students to connect through work-based learning. It will also help prepare both students and employers for those opportunities. 

“Working with excellent partners, IALR has a proven track record in developing and growing work-based learning programs and activities that make a tangible impact on the regional economy. We are excited to lead this collaborative, which will improve the work-based learning landscape across 15 localities in Southern Virginia.” — Dr. Julie Brown, Vice President of Advanced Learning

This collaboration will have a positive and measurable impact on:

  • The number of work-based learning opportunities provided to regional students 
  • The number of organizations providing high-quality work-based learning opportunities 

A $250,000 grant from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) funds this initiative. IALR is the ninth and final regional collaborative grant, which is part of a larger effort by SCHEV to expand work-based learning opportunities across the Commonwealth. Similar efforts are being led by Northern Virginia Community College, James Madison University, UVA-Wise, the University of Mary Washington, Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth University (in partnership with ChamberRVA), Old Dominion University and the University of Virginia (in collaboration with Virginia Career Works – Piedmont).

These grant funds will empower employers to improve their work-based learning initiatives and connect with students. The primary goal of the collaborative will be to inventory, promote and improve work-based learning and internship opportunities across Southern Virginia. Through surveys and joint meetings, IALR and partners will explore how to expand work-based learning opportunities and better connect businesses and talent. The collaborative will seek to identify and share work-based learning best practices and support options.

Organizations, businesses, economic development organizations and educational institutions in V-TOP Region 3 should contact Jessie Vernon about participating in this collaborative.

Join the Work-Based Learning Collaborative 

“The grant was awarded to the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research to help coordinate efforts with other partners and employers to expand quality paid and credit-bearing student internships and work-based learning opportunities in Southern Virginia. This marks a milestone for the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP), which is pleased to have all nine regions represented.” — Alisha Bazemore, Assistant Director of Innovative Work-Based Learning Initiatives with SCHEV

Over the last decade, IALR has served as Southern Virginia’s lead intermediary for many career exposure and engagement opportunities for K12 and postsecondary students, convening partners and securing extramural funds to support various career development initiatives. Current work-based learning opportunities IALR supports include apprenticeships, internships, mock interview days, teacher externships and high school teamships. This collaborative will extend the impact of IALR’s existing work-based learning framework to better support students at the postsecondary level, resulting in two net new offerings:

  • Internship opportunities for college freshmen and sophomores during the academic year
  • An interview/hiring event for high school and college internships

V-TOP seeks to better connect students, higher education and employers to facilitate more and improved work-based learning opportunities. Funded through the Commonwealth Innovative Internship Fund and Program, Virginia TOP is supported by the Virginia Chamber Foundation, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and the Virginia Business Higher Education Council.

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves Virginia as a regional catalyst for economic transformation with applied research, advanced learning, advanced manufacturing, conference center services and economic development efforts. IALR’s major footprint focuses within Southern Virginia, including the counties of Patrick, Henry, Franklin, Pittsylvania, Halifax and Mecklenburg along with the cities of Martinsville and Danville.

IALR Awarded Over $581,000 from GO Virginia and the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission to Support Work-Based Learning

IALR Awarded Over $581,000 from GO Virginia and the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission to Support Work-Based Learning

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) was recently awarded over $581,000 to lead ExperienceWorks, a work-based learning (WBL) system that leverages GO Virginia Region 3 and Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission (TRRC) investments. The system connects students and young adults to high-skill, high-wage employment opportunities through a variety of career development and WBL opportunities.

“We are grateful for these investments supporting robust public and private partnerships that are required to launch the ExperienceWorks framework,” said Dr. Julie Brown, Director of Advanced Learning at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR). “ExperienceWorks aligns existing career development programs and adds capacity, providing multiple opportunities for employers to engage with students and offer hands-on, career-relevant learning and mentoring.”  Brown adds, “The participating school divisions are excited about this opportunity to continue collaborating on programs which benefit their students, faculty, and the region’s business community. We’re thankful that the GO Virginia Region 3 Council, the GO Virginia State Board, the Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission recognized and endorsed their efforts.”

Randy Lail, Chair, GO Virginia Region 3, stated, “ExperienceWorks provides targeted industries with skilled employees for high-wage, high-skill jobs to position their companies for growth and will significantly advance the Region 3 Council’s priorities.” GO Virginia Region 3 per capita funds will support 50 percent of the cost for an Internship Coordinator as well as paid internships, work-readiness bootcamps, and teacher externships.

The TRRC grant funds will support 50 percent of an Apprenticeship Coordinator position adding capacity for employer outreach and developing apprenticeship positions in partnership with regional employers.  Tobacco Commission member, Dr. Alexis Ehrhardt said, “Apprenticeship and job readiness programs have long been an area of focus for the Tobacco Commission and I am glad the Commission chose to support this program at IALR. The ExperienceWorks program will be a real asset to our region by providing opportunities for students to engage directly with leading businesses in their chosen field. I am confident this will result in increased employment opportunities for our students and allow our local businesses to hire for many hard to fill positions.”

 The mission is to scale WBL efforts, allowing 100 percent of high school graduates to access a high-quality WBL experience and create a sustained pathway that connects employers to their emerging workforce. This initiative is targeted to high school juniors and seniors and is designed to create a culture of understanding that internships and apprenticeships are for everyone, with a clear benefit for employers and job seekers.

ExperienceWorks goals include: increased student awareness of career opportunities in strategic industry sectors; improved student and young adult work readiness skills aligned with business expectations; meaningful work experiences for students and young adults in strategic sectors; increased teacher and counselor awareness of careers and business needs; and a work-based learning system that is sustained and supported by employers, local government and economic development. According to Brown, “Establishing connections with students while they are still in high school will allow businesses to access an emerging workforce and provide mentorship, increasing the number of high school graduates who are connected to employment opportunities in targeted growth sectors.”

Participating K12 divisions include: Amelia, Brunswick, Charlotte, Cumberland, Danville, Halifax, Henry, Lunenburg, Martinsville, Mecklenburg, Nottoway, Patrick, Pittsylvania, and Prince Edward. For more information about ExperienceWorks, contact Jessie Vernon at jessie.vernon@ialr.org or 434-766-6772.

This project was funded in part by GO Virginia, a state-funded initiative administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) that strengthens and diversifies Virginia’s economy and fosters the creation of higher wage jobs in strategic industries. GO Virginia is a statewide business-led economic development initiative with funding to invest in collaborative projects that lead to high-paying jobs in each region. The mission of GO Virginia is to encourage collaboration among business, education, and government in each region. GO Virginia Region 3 is one of nine regions in Virginia and includes the Counties of Amelia, Brunswick, Buckingham, Charlotte, Cumberland, Halifax, Henry, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway, Patrick, Pittsylvania and Prince Edward and the Cities of Danville and Martinsville. For more information, please visit govirginia3.org and sign up for the Region 3 monthly newsletter or connect with GO Virginia Region 3 on Facebook or LinkedIn

 The Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission is a 28-member body created by the 1999 General Assembly. Its mission is the promotion of economic growth and development in formerly tobacco-dependent communities, using proceeds of the national tobacco settlement.

Students at the 2019 Career ChoICE Youth Expo visit the booth of Sartomer (Chatham), a division of Arkema Inc., for a hands-on introduction to careers in advanced materials and chemical manufacturing. The Expo exposes youth to the 17 career clusters, and it serves as one component of the newly funded ExperienceWorks work-based learning system framework to be led by the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research.