For the month of August, we explored the wide range of career opportunities available right here in Wayne County. We featured many local businesses and career paths on Forward Wayne County’s social media. Continuing this month’s theme of employability, I had the opportunity to hear from Chad Lieberman, the new Work-Based Learning Coordinator for Hagerstown High School. This program was added to assist students with career exploration and to gain more work-based knowledge. I asked him the following questions about this new program:
What experience are you bringing to this class and how did you find out what career path was right for you?
I have been employed in various educator roles throughout my career: classroom teacher, school counselor, grant director, and now work-based learning coordinator. These experiences have provided me with a broad perspective of programmatic and student needs, which is necessary when tasked with building a program from the ground up. Additionally, this new role allows me to combine my teaching experience with my counseling experience to become an effective career coach for our Work-Based Learning students, while also leveraging the skills I developed as a grant director to build mutually beneficial relationships with local employers.
Finding my own career path has been a process starting with my interests and having the mindset that “whatever I find myself doing, I’m going to do it well and trust that the right things and good things will come of it.” This mindset, along with being willing to accept new challenges as they present themselves to me, is what has led me to where I am today.
Why do you think work-based learning is important for high school students?
Beyond becoming a graduation requirement for most students in the near future, it is an opportunity for students to develop and synthesize their skills in a tangible, meaningful way. Each placement will be unique and provide an educational experience that exists beyond the walls of the school. What I mean by this is that it is important for students to understand how classroom curriculum is applied to the “real world”, while also developing the intangible employability skills and traits, such as dependability, that are necessary for success in all career fields.
How do you plan on helping students discover their interests, strengths, and potential career paths?
Discovering interests, strengths, and possible career paths requires a lot of self-reflection over time, and ultimately, this program will span K-12. We want students to consider and plan for their future selves throughout their school career. At Hagerstown, we plan to facilitate this directly and explicitly through high quality instruction, interest and strength inventories, career coaching, existing partnerships with the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce and East Central Educational Service Center, and yet to be established partnerships. As we facilitate these experiences throughout their education, the self-reflection required for such discovery becomes an inherent part of the process that will allow our students to assume ownership over the decisions that dictate their future.
What are the most important skills students should develop when it comes to looking for employment in their future career?
Most schools in the state have done this and most largely overlap, but Hagerstown has identified six skills/traits to develop within each learner as part of our Profile of a Graduate. We want every graduate to leave being (1) a Confident Communicator; (2) a Creative Problem-Solver; (3) a Respectful Citizen; (4) an Effective Team Player; (5) Dependable; and (6) Resilient.
What are your goals for the school year?
The goal and focus for this school year is to establish efficient systems within the Work-Based Learning program at HHS and build a network of local employers willing to host our students. We understand employers have no obligation to participate or sacrifice their own needs, but we are striving for a network of collaboration and mutual benefit.
For our students, we want them to discover and develop their skills sets. In addition, we also want them to have exposure to meaningful work experiences with Wayne County employers. We have a lot of great employers that have great career options.
This year will come with a number of logistical challenges, and some of those may force us to adjust. Nevertheless, Superintendent Emily Schaeffer has a clear vision of Work-Based Learning and Career Exploration K-12, and I am here to ensure that vision becomes actionable.
Do you have any advice for students (or anyone) who are still unsure of what career path they want to take?
Develop a plan. Even if it is a bad plan, that’s better than having no plan. As I said before, do well with whatever it is that you are doing now. You will find what is meaningful in that process which will lead you to where you should go.
A Great New Asset
I enjoyed getting a closer look into the new addition of the Work-Based Learning program at Hagerstown High School. It will be a valuable resource for students as they begin exploring different potential career paths. As a college senior who is still unsure of where my future career path will take me, I know I will also take Chad Lieberman’s advice to heart as I prepare for life after graduation.
