Home grown talent - Southern Illinois' school-to-work programs

HR Magazine, May, 1997 by Bill Leonard

Competitive advantages

The employers in Southern Illinois understand the value of helping shape the future workforce. "I think most employers see the school-to-work program as a long-range investment," Musgrave says. "They have to think about training and retraining costs. By participating in a program such as ours, employers will eventually realize a tremendous payoff."

By helping to steer students into future career paths, the Mid-South Partnership Coalition also gives employers an edge in recruiting. Students and teachers who have worked with employers in the coalition have direct knowledge of the companies and their operations.

"Employers here are very interested in nurturing their future workforce. We are providing a way to improve their competitive advantage, and that is very attractive," explains Musgrave. After reviewing the education-to-career program, one regional executive with General Electric told Musgrave he would personally hire any student coming out of the program. "He said it provided the right type of work skills and the career guidance that is sorely needed today."

An attention grabber

The coalition has also gained attention nationally. Last November, the placement firm of Challenger, Gray and Christmas, in conjunction with SHRM, presented Musgrave with an Education Excellence Award. In addition, the program received funding from the U.S. Department of Education under the School to Work Opportunities Act -- one of only 31 grants funded nationwide and one of three grants awarded in Illinois.

To round out that impressive, list of awards, the state recently announced that the Mid-South Partnership Coalition will serve as a model for the state's other school-to-work programs -- quite an achievement for a program that started in response to a shortage in one specific field.