Lead The Way Learning Academy’s Ready to Earn Summer 2022 program was a huge success, with 66 young adults ranging from 18 to 21 years old, getting six weeks of education and hands on training in 10+ fields. The Class B Commercial Driving License, Work Readiness and Pre-Apprenticeship groups started their first week with Leadership Training from Mr. Kendal Lee. The young adults worked on skills to make them a better leader in the workplace. They focused on exercises to help them speak positively to themselves as they venture out into their careers. They also learned how to navigate through obstacles that may get in the way as they move forward into adulthood.
Lead The Way! We Know The Way!
The group also spent time with Mr. George Hicks discussing decision making as they enter adulthood, and how every choice affects their future. After five days of Leadership training, the young Adults broke off into their separate classrooms to focus on the certifications they need for the fields they plan on entering.
Food For Focusing
Special thanks to the Bethel Road Starbucks. Young adults were able to enjoy breakfast sandwiches and sweet treats throughout the six-week program.
Pre-Apprenticeship
The Pre-Apprenticeship program Spent their first week working on their OSHA-10 Certifications. They then went on to earn their certifications in CPR, first aid and Auto-CAD.
They went on site visits where they were able to see what different worksites in their fields looked like and how they operate. They also had the pleasure of hosting multiple construction and landscaping companies in their classroom. The young adults continued to work through their classroom curriculum while completing all of this and accomplishing a 100% pass rate on their final exams!
Visitors for the Pre-Apprenticeship group
included the National Skilled Trades Network (NSTN), Turner Construction, Watt 1 Electrical systems, J’s Lawn Care INC, Elford and XYZ Professional Services, LTD Designers, Planners, and Builders.
Young adults being hands-on at National Skills Trade Network.
The pre apprenticeship group was able to take quite a few trips to companies that are in their field. These companies included Construction Systems Inc., Atlas Door and Hardware, NSTN and Anderson Concrete.
Exploring the workshop at Construction Systems INC.
CDL Class B
The Class B Commercial Driver's License group hit the ground running once Leadership Training was complete. They worked with Ms. Wanda and her associates at Unique Services Logistics to obtain their temporary CDL Class B permits, and are scheduled for their in-car driving exams throughout the month of August. They received certificates of completion in the Entry Level Driver Training course, Entry Level Driver Training Behind the Wheel Course, Pre-CDL Course, and CPR and first aid training.
The CDL group had field trips and visits with multiple companies like Anderson Concrete and FST Logistics to see what opportunities they have when it comes to careers after they earn their CDL Class B License. The opportunities are endless with this certification!
The CDL group was given gift cards for all of the long study hours they put in!
While on the Anderson Concrete trip, the CDL group had the opportunity to explore a concrete truck, tour Anderson's facilities and talk to their employees. The group really enjoyed seeing that the company was still family owned and that they employees loved to work for the company.
Abeneza Kapden was the first to pass his General knowledge and
Air Brake tests to receive his temporary permit and get behind
the wheel of a school bus.
Work Readiness
The work readiness group had a revolving door of young adults coming in to participate. They went through extensive job training with a curriculum that included Virtual Job Shadowing, Resume building, Mock Interviewing and brushing up on their Soft Skills. The group had quite a few trips and visits with employers and staffing agencies from all over Central Ohio. The group was visited by Peerro, A Plus Staffing. FST Logistics, BBI Logistics, and Gap Inc. During these visits, the companies were able to explain the benefits of working for their company and the young adults were able to apply and immediately interview for positions.
While visiting FST Logistics, the group had the opportunity to speak directly with the management team, tour the facilities and participate in a company cookout. At the cookout, the group was able to enjoy a great meal, play games and help the employees dunk their bosses in the dunk tank!
During their visit to Men’s Wearhouse, the group broke into small groups and took turns getting fitted for suits, learning how to tie a tie, and interviewing for positions at multiple Central Ohio locations. Men’s Wearhouse provided opportunities for the young adults to transfer to other locations around the country if they were planning to leave for college.
Financial Literacy
What is the point of sending the young adults out into the workforce to make more money if they have no idea how to manage that money? In the fourth week, BMI Federal Credit Union came on site to speak to the group and to help the young adults set up checking and savings accounts.
In the sixth week, the group spent the day with BMI Federal Credit Union at their Dublin location learning how to save and use money to take care of the responsibilities that will come with adulthood.
Each young adult was given a career, spouse and income to use for the exercise. They rolled the dice to find out how many kids they had. They were then given the opportunity to buy a home and car, choose a childcare option, pay utilities and put money into their savings accounts. After seeing what they had left over for the month, each young adult played games to decide specific circumstances they would face. Some were given bonuses, some caught flat tires, but all of them learned how to budget the income they were given. The hard lesson was learning that all of the nice things they want in life cost a lot more than they thought!
"I learned how to break down my budget monthly to maximize my financial stability. Learning to use savings and splitting up my net pay will be very helpful in managing my money"- Music T
Preparing for a Bright Future!
One of the biggest struggles for young adults going into the work force is understanding how to dress for an interview and in the office. Lead The Way Learning Academy's (LTLWA) Ready to Earn Program was able to provide young adults with clothing for their interviews and future careers.
One of the biggest struggles for young adults heading into the workforce is understanding how to dress for an interview, as well as in the office. LTLWA's Ready to Earn Program was able to provide young adults with clothing for their interviews and future careers.
Upon exiting the program, the Pre-Apprenticeship and CDL groups were gifted work preparedness bags to help them in their future endeavors. These bags included hard hats, tools, goggles, safety vests, gloves, masks and many other things they would need in their fields
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