In sports and in life, the opportunity to find the “sweet spot” is always worth the effort.
Look at the success of the new torpedo bats in baseball. Putting the weight and power to the sweet spot has everyone from the Yankees to youth players a smart way to play better.
How do we take that same innovation to our community? As an economic developer, it’s by focusing on the “sweet spot” of career discovery and exploration – the middle school and junior high years!
In March, I was fortunate to present at this year’s annual Genesee County Youth Bureau Conference at Genesee Community College. The youth conference gives 7th and 8th grade students another great way to learn about life skills and careers as they
continue their educational journeys.
It was an outstanding program, and students left our sessions inspired to start thinking about what they can do in school and after graduation.
These students are right in the sweet spot to start this journey.
There are great opportunities in emerging fields that they weren’t aware of. Companies are urgently looking to fill their workforce pipeline and there are many good paying jobs with the potential for long-term professional and financial growth.
They have time to grow the skills that it will take to be successful in them. They have time to test out what fields interest them, discover what works and what doesn’t, and get into great experiences offered by the Genesee County Business Education Alliance, Genesee Valley BOCES, their school, and new opportunities coming to Genesee County like national career readiness certificates with the ACT.
Parents, I know this is a lot of information to take in. I want to make it simple for you. That’s why it’s okay to start with a conversation with Coach SwazZ. I understand the challenges, and the opportunities, and have pathways to fast track your child through a career exploration journey that combines their personal interests with experiential learning. We aim to create an ideal blend of passion and professionalism in supporting youth to achieve success right here in Genesee County.
Even with these advantages, we have to keep swinging. The torpedo bats have given the Yankees great early results, but every home run starts with a player that’s put in the effort to improve.
And there’s still going to be missed swings and strike outs. The fact is that 21.4% of students who enroll in college dropout their first year.
Unfortunately, for some, their initial plans do not materialize due to various factors such as academic pressures, financial difficulties, or personal circumstances. Sometimes though it’s simply because they are not enjoying what they are learning in the classroom and there is nothing wrong with that!
There is a reason why so many of our partners in the workforce space focus on students at an early. Not every good paying job requires a college diploma and employers aren’t necessarily looking for college graduates because they are willing to train students and provide them the skills for success. The earlier we can connect with younger students the better the opportunity for them to learn about all the opportunities available to them in the workplace.
As a youth baseball coach and as a career coach, my message is the same.
Control the controllables.
Your work ethic, effort, body language, energy, attitude, passion, being coachable, going the extra mile and being prepared are all within your own control and will lead you to sustained success in your educational and professional journeys.
Visit www.gcedc.com/workforceprograms to access our free career checklist, featuring eight essential steps to jumpstart your professional journey.
If you are a student, parent, teacher, or guidance counselor, contact me at csuozzi@gcedc.com to learn how to get involved today!
Chris “Coach SwazZ” Suozzi is the Executive Vice President of Business & Workforce Development at the Genesee County Economic Development Center.
