David Gordon, director of career and technical education with Wisconsin’s Cooperative Educational Service Agency (CESA) 7, joins co-hosts Kate Bruns of Insight on Manufacturing and Ann Franz of the NEW Manufacturing Alliance on today’s new episode of the NEW Manufacturing Insights podcast to talk about youth apprenticeship and connecting the Northeast Wisconsin business community with young talent and our region’s school districts.
Gordon was honored as NEWMA’s Career Pathmaker Award recipient at last year’s Excellence in Manufacturing K-12 Partnership Awards. He says he sees his role as helping students have a-ha moments around the relevance of their education in the real world, as well as helping companies connect to the talent pipeline in meaningful ways.
On the episode, Gordon helps dispel myths about youth apprenticeship, shares some of his favorite success stories, and dispenses advice to employers about the importance and opportunity of getting into the YA game.
Ultimately, industry/educational partnerships are vital, he says.
“Since COVID, we’ve seen a pretty significant disengagement of students in education,” Gordon says on this week’s episode. “Students don’t always see the relevance of what they’re learning in school and how it connects to the real world. These business partnerships are critical to closing that gap.”
Hear much more when you listen to this week’s full podcast episode, produced by B.J. DeGroot of Woodward Community Media, on Spreaker or anywhere you listen to podcasts.
New episodes of NEW Manufacturing Insights are released on Thursdays. Contact your Insight account manager for sponsorship information; contact Kate Bruns at kbruns@insightonbusiness.com to suggest topics and guests.
