SPRING 2008
Welcome to the premier issue of the Pittsburgh Regional Compact Quarterly, the e-newsletter of the Pittsburgh Regional Compact
Thank you for your commitment to the Pittsburgh Regional Compact, our region's employer-educator partnership to develop students - tomorrow's workforce - for 21st-century jobs and careers.
You are joining over 50 employers and 28 school districts and charter schools who, to date, have signed the Compact and formalized their commitment to real-world career education for middle school, high school and college students.
Through the Quarterly, we'll be sharing the latest ideas on connecting students to your workplace and the jobs of the future in collaboration with our local educational institutions.
In this issue, read more about American Eagle Outfitters' workplace tour with North Allegheny High School students and tips from AE On-boarding Coordinator Hannah Harris on making your workplace tour a success.
If you're in the manufacturing, engineering or IT fields, Catalyst Connections Adventures in Technology program might be the right fit for putting career education into action in your organization. Read more about local businesses - over 50 thus far - that have worked with teams of local high school students in hands-on projects to design and build a product or re-engineer an existing product, process or system.
And mark your calendar for April 22. As a Compact member, you're invited to a roundtable breakfast to share practical ways for employers and educators to cooperate on career education.
We hope that you find this and subsequent issues of the Quarterly to be a useful resource for connecting students to your workplace. We'd like to hear from you about real-world career education for the Pittsburgh region. Send an e-mail to Paul Leger at pleger@alleghenyconference.org.
North Allegheny Students Get Sample of Professional Possibilities at American Eagle's Corporate Headquarters
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Consumers themselves, they knew the brand only too well. In fact, some came dressed in it. But perhaps what most of them didn't know was what it takes, day in and day out - including the diversity of talent and professional responsibility - to successfully run the global corporate headquarters of American Eagle Outfitters.
Walking through the doors of AE's new corporate headquarters at the Southside Works on Friday, January 11, approximately 20 students (juniors and seniors) from the gifted program at North Allegheny High School were treated to positive, eye-opening insights and experiences as part of the Pittsburgh Regional Compact's regional career education initiatives. American Eagle Outfitters was the first regional employer to host a career awareness workplace visit for high school students as part of the company's participation in the Compact.
AE headquarters - contemporarily spacious, bright with natural light and accented with colorful and trendy garments - perfectly framed the students' educational experience in ways that a classroom could not. Seeing AE employees in their surroundings and observing them interact with each other and with merchandise provided perspective about what working for a cutting-edge corporation, right here in the Pittsburgh region, could be like.
The workplace visit, planned by AE's on-boarding and human resources employees, taught the students, in a casual, but compelling way, about a variety of jobs and careers available and how they can prepare themselves now to land these types of jobs in the future.
Human resource representatives talked candidly about what they look for when recruiting employees - including extracurricular involvement that can point to well-roundedness - and they detailed AE's internship programs. Career opportunities in product development, marketing and fashion trending were described by professionals in those roles themselves - with several presenters being closer in age to the students than not.
A stop at the AE lab store, where merchandising strategies and store displays are tested before going live in retail stores, revealed another layer of career opportunity.
The bang of the bucks brought in by the sale of merchandise and the important jobs associated with financial management and shareholder relations at a corporation was illustrated by AE Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Joan Hilson. Hilson described her own career journey and a passion for finance that blossomed when she was in sixth grade. She explained that the corporate finance department at AE requires diverse professionals with not just an accounting background, but rather a breadth of skills, independent drive and an ability to work as part of a team.
Capping this high-energy workplace visit was a lunch with American Eagle Outfitters President and Chief Merchandising Officer Susan McGalla. McGalla talked with students about her own education and career choices, including developing a mentor relationship with a professional she admired, and how these choices led her to become a top executive at a large corporation. She asked students pointed questions to encourage them to think about the surprisingly large number of employees involved in the creation of a single garment. In closing, McGalla shared several of her own tips. She encouraged students - as they move forward with education and into the workforce - to “find your passion…find a career you love and a place you love to do it…recognize that the career you chose will involve hard work. The key to success is being willing to roll up your sleeve and do what it takes.”
Easier Than You'd Imagine! - Tips for Successful Career Awareness Events
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Hannah Harris, on-boarding coordinator at American Eagle Outfitters had, among her recent responsibilities, the job of organizing the first official worksite visit related to the Pittsburgh Regional Compact.
Hannah reports that “finding the right people in the company who love their jobs and are passionate about sharing that excitement is key to making these types of events a success.”
Looking back, she noted, “The day went very smoothly. We wanted the schedule to be jam-packed with events the students could experience, and it was - almost too much so. Q & A sessions at the end of an event like this often get cut short. Make sure that you plan for at least 20 minutes of Q & A with the students. This is when the students get to be themselves and ask those questions that could potentially build foundations for their futures,” said Hannah.
IN BRIEF:
- Identify passionate colleagues to share their professional experiences with students.
- Plan an exciting schedule of events, but be aware of the time.
- Plan for at least 20 minutes of Q & A with the students.
Imagine! Career Week 2008 Pittsburgh Regional Compact Employers/Educators' Breakfast
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For employers and educators currently enrolled in the Pittsburgh Regional Compact, a breakfast to discuss practical ways to cooperate on career education through the Pittsburgh Regional Compact will be held on Tuesday, April 22 at the Sheraton Station Square.
A complimentary continental breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m., with a program following from 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. There will be roundtable brainstorming and sharing of suggestions for "best practices."
Catalyst Connection's Group Internships Score Success for Businesses, Students
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More than ever, local businesses are seeking qualified candidates with real-world experience to join their team and make a difference. In our region, local high school students are getting such an opportunity through Catalyst Connection's Adventures in Technology program.
The Adventures in Technology project engages high school students in a ten-week, hands-on project to design and build a product or re-engineer an existing product, process or system. The project is a complementary program to the many existing science and technology programs in high schools throughout the region. It is also an ideal activity to introduce students to workforce ideas and experiences, while at the same time reinforcing and developing Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) knowledge introduced in the classroom. The program has also become a great replacement for traditional internship programs which can be difficult opportunities to come by for local high school students.
This year, more than 170 students are working on various projects with companies such as Advanced Acoustic Concepts, Respironics, Hamill Manufacturing, and American Eagle Outfitters—to name a few. A new partnership with the Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board and funding from The Lois Tack Thompson Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation has allowed the program to grow to include entire classes of students. The students are a part of the regional Cisco Academies and have been working on IT related projects with companies such as Seagate Technologies, Dynavox, Questeq, Net Health Systems, and the City of Pittsburgh. Over the last five years the program has partnered with more than 50 schools and 50 companies in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Through partnerships with the Pittsburgh Regional Compact and others, a tremendous opportunity exists for the Adventures in Technology program to impact the region's future workforce. In addition, the benefits of this homegrown program may possibly touch students in other parts of Pennsylvania, or even in neighboring states, as pilots and partnerships extend its outreach.
- submitted by Scott Dietz, Manager, Workforce Initiatives, Catalyst Connection
In Their Own Words: Tomorrow's Workforce Talks
"I was fortunate to have the opportunity to visit the gorgeous new American Eagle headquarters…the insight and understanding I gained from the trip would have been impossible to learn in a classroom. My favorite part of the day was lunch with CFO Joan Hilson and President and Chief Merchandising Officer Susan McGalla. I was inspired by both of these dynamic women and how they have risen in their careers, and I valued their advice. Listening to Mrs. Hilson confirmed my interest in studying finance because of its wide applications in business and elsewhere. I left American Eagle inspired by what I had heard and excited about my future, including perhaps an opportunity to apply for an internship with American Eagle. All in all, the trip was a very valuable experience." - Grace Concelman, Student, North Allegheny High School |
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"I could never image myself pursuing my dreams of working in the fashion industry in the Steel City. After visiting the American Eagle Outfitters headquarters, I quickly u-turned the direction of my future plans. As we met with a variety of AE staff, I felt my excitement grow; there was so much to take in. The enthusiasm of the employees we met showed their passion for working at American Eagle. Hearing their testimonials reassured me that I was heading in the right career direction. Had you asked me the day before the field trip if I would consider returning to Pittsburgh to work after college, I am almost certain that I would have said no. But thanks to the Pittsburgh Regional Compact and American Eagle Outfitters, I look forward to returning to my hometown." - Meredith Feingold, Student, North Allegheny High School |
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Compact in the News
Group leads high schoolers toward Pittsburgh careers
01.24.08 - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Partnership preparing students for local careers
01.16.08 - North Hills Journal
Allegheny Conference to start new wave of career education
11.16.07 - Pittsburgh Business Times
The Pittsburgh Regional Compact is an employer-driven initiative collaboratively
sponsored by the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, business
leaders, educators, students, educational institutions and workforce development
organizations across the 10-county Pittsburgh region.