Partnership provides continual benefits for students entering the workforce
Most partnerships are represented by a memorandum, contract or agreement. A partnership between the Mesa County Workforce Center and Colorado Mesa University's Career Services is represented by a person. Kayley Vogel is a shared employee between the two organizations. She divides her time between working on campus and supporting the workforce center. Her role was created to increase communication and to match student talent with the needs of employers.
"Kayley is a daily bridge between CMU and Mesa County Workforce Center and continues to innovate around how to best place students with local businesses for the benefit of both," said CMU President Tim Foster.
The partnership was established with the idea that both career services and the workforce center have similar goals and objectives. The unique approach is possible because of the ongoing partnership between CMU and Mesa County in a wide range of joint efforts to enhance the community and education. By having a person that can create events, programs and communication tools, students can maximize opportunities when they are ready to enter the workforce.
The many benefits of the ongoing partnership can be seen in the success of the in-person fall career fair that was held on Wednesday, September 2, 2020 from 10am-2pm at Colorado Mesa University. A virtual event for those who prefer remote connection with employers will be held on September 9. Among the tools used to benefit students is Handshake — a platform that allows them to connect directly with employers for 10-minute, one-on-one meetings. In addition to students meeting employers, several CMU corporate partners hosted presentations about the job and career opportunities they offer. Target is one of those companies.
"Target is not only a well-known global brand, but is a business with a local presence that provides students opportunities from internships and seasonal employment all the way to career track positions," said Vogel. "In addition, there were more than 25 businesses represented in today's career fair."
Students wanting to learn more about local job opportunities should visit the Handshake web site.
Those interested in the community services of the Mesa County Workforce Center can learn more here.