Workforce development was the topic of conversation at Mohonasen’s first Business Advisory Board meeting of 2020, held last Thursday, Jan. 16.
Superintendent Shannon Shine opened the meeting of students, educators and local business leaders, with the purpose of the Business Advisory Board – to work together to act as a school resource by offering expertise, programs and services that support teaching and focus on student learning. 
“It’s been great to experience the positive force of collaboration,” said Graham MacBeth, Mohonasen’s work-based learning supervisor. MacBeth and Sue Petrosino, Mohonasen’s transition and Career Development and Occupational Studies (CDOS) coordinator, both discussed the recent business connections they have made through the Business Advisory Board, which include:
- Graham’s Coffee Parlor
- Museum of Innovation and Science
- Package One Industries
- Saratoga National
- Schenectady County
- Siemens
- Social Enterprise and Training Center
These businesses and – Mohonasen students have both benefited from the partnerships. Through a recent trip to Graham’s Coffee Parlor, work based learning students were able to learn about running a coffee business from owner, Katryn Malen. Malen conducted a tour of the establishment while teaching students about customer service and work place safety, which are important skills for success in the workforce.
Guest speaker, Crickett Thomas-O’Dell, the Capital Region Regional Director from the Workforce Development Institute, shared current trends in the job market and the landscape of the current workforce in Schenectady. She also touched on the importance of soft skills in the workforce and how demographics in the workplace are evolving.
During the meeting, Assistant Superintendent Laurel Logan-King tasked board members with identifying the skills necessary for a student to succeed in the workforce. “As a school system, we want to focus on the development the whole child,” Laurel Logan-King said.
The Board’s collaboration on the topic will serve to inform instruction and guide future workforce development opportunities.
The Advisory Board meets again at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5.
If you are interested in learning more about the Mohonasen Business Advisory Board, please contact Graham MacBeth (gmacbeth@mohonasen.org) or Sue Petrosino (spetrosino@mohonasen.org) or by calling 518-356-8345.