Preparing students for the workforce; Special programs in county target educating high school students

By Michael Hays

Today's News-Herald

LAKE HAVASU CITY - Student expectations are increasing at schools, due in large part to a nationwide focus on standardized testing.

But is education meeting the ever-changing needs of employers in Mohave County?

Susie Parel-Duranceau thinks Lake Havasu City and other parts of the county are making significant progress.

She is the director of Mohave County Community & Economic Development.

“We do get some feedback. Sometimes it is good, sometimes it is bad. Employers sometimes say there aren't enough qualified workers,” she said.

The ultimate mission is to create a skilled workforce, the director explained.

Along with Partnership for Economic Development, the county introduced a program called “Work Keys” about two years ago.

“Work Keys is an assessment tool that looks to show people what it takes to be in certain professions,” Parel-Duranceau said.

High school students are the main targets but a summer program in Kingman reaches young people between the ages of 14 and 21.

There is also the COYOTE program, which serves students year-round and helps cultivate positive work ethics throughout the county.

“In Kingman, there is a program that takes students to worksites to show them what the fields are like,” she said.

Lake Havasu City was the Work Keys pilot program for Mohave County.

Gary Kellogg, the chief executive of the PED, said local employer Coach-Net participates in Work Keys.

In a world of constantly evolving technology, it is vital for educational institutions to take a step back and make sure they are giving students the tools they need to succeed, the local leader said.

“We are a society-based on information. A lot of companies use the Internet a great deal. The other thing is knowing your way around the IT (information technology) world and computer knowledge,” Kellogg said.

Basic-skill sets, including reading comprehension and mathematics, are imperative, he added.

One of the PED's goals is to consistently attract quality, high-paying employers.

So which comes first, first-class education or high-paying employers who can raise the collective standard of living?

“It's almost like a double-edged sword,” he said.

Community colleges are unique because they can cater to specialized job fields for a specific area that universities might not be able to do.

For example, years ago the county airport needed a large supply of welders, Kellogg said.

With ample lead-time, a training program allowed for the training of welders to meet the demand.

Businesses are a big piece of the puzzle, Parel-Duranceau said.

They can help their own cause and students by supplying the county with descriptions of in-demand jobs.

“In addition to the people looking for jobs, we also serve the businesses,” said Parel-Duranceau.

Havasu's only college, Mohave Community College, is also a major partner.

“MCC has a lot of initiatives. They partner with the workforce investment board. They talk to employers to see what they need.”

The tri-cities can't escape their niche - tourism.

“I think we will always be a very strong tourist community. I think what is going to tie us all together is the bypass to Bullhead,” Kellogg said, adding that the marine industry supplies an abundance of high-paying jobs in catering to tourists and local residents.

Parel-Duranceau said the economies of Bullhead and Havasu cater to tourism and entry-level jobs. Both are trying to develop industrial parks and other higher-paying sources of employment.

But a good base of social services is an ingredient for a healthy community too, according to the county director.

“Social-program support is critical,” she said, citing child care, health care and transportation as key areas upon which to focus.

“We look at this as holistically as we can.”