Golden Path Solutions Newsletter – May 2024

by | May 13, 2024 | Blog, News | 0 comments

Three people are presenting at a national work-based learning conference

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind getting ready for the end of the school year, but also presenting at training workshops and events. The most notable was the national ACTE Work-Based Learning Conference in Milwaukee, WI!

We’ve also been working with students and schools to get things in line for next school year. This includes optimizing Compass to support the four-year rolling plan, preparing our college pilot, helping transition students find connections with employers, and more.

One thing we like to do over the summer is work with employers on one of our most important offerings: Career Profiles. These detailed career descriptions are highlighted in Compass and matched with high school students based on their interests and skills. Unlike standard job descriptions, Career Profiles are specially designed to work with other features in Compass to connect students and employers.

Read on to learn more about everything else going on!

WBL solutions explored at national conference

We had an amazing time presenting at the second ACTE Work-Based Learning Conference in Milwaukee, earlier this month. We shared our work with work-based learning in conjunction with Dawn Ulmer from the North Dakota Department of Career and Technical Education (NDCTE) and Gwen Marsh from XAP. The conference featured the challenges schools face when trying to build a WBL program, the ways they are creating sustainable programs to address these challenges, and how companies like Golden Path can help. Work-based learning is a fundamental piece of the workforce development puzzle and North Dakota is making great strides in finding solutions.

GrowND event highlights collaboration

It was an honor to be part of the first GrowND: Workforce Solutions Showcase, April 23, in Bismarck. Hosted by the Greater North Dakota Chamber, the event featured 11 rapid-fire sessions on workforce development highlighting different tools and organizations. It was truly a collaborative effort with everyone sharing best practices and promoting the work we do to solve particular problems. Workforce is a complex issue and it’s encouraging to see state agencies and private organizations working together to solve challenges.

NDCTE spring workshops build connections

We wrapped up another round of training across the state with the NDCTE Career Resource Network Spring Workshops in April. The sessions were well attended by a variety of educators, career professionals, and employers who are helping communities, students, and businesses. Golden Path presented at several of the workshops, providing information about education and career opportunities in each region.

Participants toured the new school and heard from Farden Construction in Minot; visited Cirrus Aircraft, the Energy and Environmental Research Center, and True North Equipment in Grand Forks. They also learned from Grand Farm, North Dakota State College of Science, and Amazon in Fargo; heard about Expanse Electric and NDSU Extension in Williston; and learned about Ackerman-Estvold in both Minot and Williston.

Welcoming new employers to the platform

Several new employers joined Compass last month, including DSG, Local 49 (heavy equipment operators), Anchor Mechanical, Goldmark, Rydell, Red River Commodities, ND Soybean Processors, and ChiroX Chiropractic. The numerous new opportunities in Compass include a summer property management mentorship and maintenance technician Career Profile at Goldmark in Fargo, and a manufacturing student learner internship at Bobcat in Wahpeton, and Bismarck. It’s a great selection of companies across the region and a wide variety of opportunities for students to explore, especially for summer.

New feature work in Compass

As mentioned in prior newsletters, we’re looking for ways for Compass to help solve other school needs beyond career exploration and work-based learning. We’ll be working with the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction on how Compass can be optimized for students’ required four-year rolling plans. We’ll be sharing ideas at an upcoming ESSA workshop in August in both Fargo and Bismarck. In addition, we’ll be tweaking Compass to support transition students and help connect them with employers. Finally, we’re launching our work with Watford City and Fargo-Moorhead with the NDWIG program.

Meeting with students to learn about sponsorships

An important part of our sponsorship offering is the connection we build with students. Our team personally matches high school students with sponsorships that fit their interests and skills, helping them find an employer who will help cover their college tuition costs and provide them with a job after graduation. Solutions Manager Derek Grahn met with students across Minnesota during April to answer questions, learn more about their career goals, and provide information about the sponsorship application process.

GFMEDC Workforce Summit offers solutions

Chief Operating Officer Cara Christenson attended the Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation’s (GFMEDC) Workforce Summit. The session reviewed solutions available, presented data to help understand the current and future state of the regional workforce, and highlighted the results of a survey conducted to get feedback from employers on challenges they face, solutions they use, etc. We’re proud to be one tool in the toolbox helping develop future opportunities for students and employers. We’re also happy to see more employers taking advantage of Golden Path to connect with students, as we were in the top five of systems used by GFMEDC members as a workforce development tool.

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Contact Patrick for more information or to connect about opportunities with Golden Path Solutions.