Taking care of business

Owatonna High School’s new paths to career success.

The “Great Reshuffle” in the labor force will almost certainly be one of the biggest consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 50 million workers quit in 2022. The nation’s economy continues to rebound as Americans rethink their jobs and career paths regarding quality of life and long-term fulfillment. Pair these facts with college costs that increase year after year and businesses’ immediate need for skilled workers in growth industries, and it’s clear there is a gap to be filled.  

Enter Owatonna High School and its Career Pathways courses where students have an opportunity to explore a wide variety of career options in innovative, hands-on learning spaces in its new 317,000-square-foot groundbreaking educational facility — including culinary and fabrication labs and a nursing classroom — that prioritizes career readiness and teaches students necessary skills for future workforce participation.  

Successful completion of the nursing pathway earns students a certified nursing assistant (CNA) certification. Those who complete the firefighting courses can receive Minnesota State Fire certification, and culinary instruction completion includes ServSafe Food Handler certification. No matter which path they choose, students earn this “diploma plus” by the end of their high school journey, giving students a head start in the job market, or college credits toward a degree.  

The school is one-half of the equation. Employers should also be proactive about developing relationships with local schools, notes Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism president and CEO Brad Meier. “If you don’t have schools willing to be part of this, the thing’s dead in the water.” 

Partnerships with local companies are a key piece to the high school’s career pathways program. Internships, site visits, job shadows, and more provide students varied opportunities to learn about career options in the community.  

Building these relationships with industry partners is invaluable, according to Brian Coleman, the career pathways navigator at Owatonna Public Schools, as it helps schools determine what skills and experience are most needed in the workforce. “Listen to what the needs are. We held a summit with Riverland College last summer to hear from industry leaders and ask, ‘What is missing? What are the skills that these students need?’ Our goal is for every student who walks across that stage when they graduate to be enrolled, enlisted, or employed.”  

School involvement can begin in elementary and middle school, too, according to Vanessa Jensen, district manager of Junior Achievement North, which prepares young learners for career readiness by connecting them to real-life skills and careers that inspire them to dream big and has partnered with the Owatonna district for years. “We are helping students prepare both their skillset and their mindset to step into their future career, whether it’s going right into the workforce or possibly a trade. We know that those jobs are going to need skilled workers.”  

Fourth through sixth graders participate in a one-of-a-kind experiential learning program called Junior Achievement (JA) BizTown, which combines classroom learning with an active simulation experience. Students become citizens of JA BizTown where they learn what it takes to run a successful business, manage a checking account and debit card, and explore other financial literacy and economic concepts in unique and engaging ways. 

“Kids get to experience what it’s like to go to work for the day in many different roles and wearing the many different hats that our businesses have,” explains Jensen. “They leave that experience feeling like, ‘Hey, I loved my job’ or ‘I’m never going to be a CFO!’ Both of those are wins because it helps students think through what they like and then they can take a deeper dive at the high school level.”  

At the end of the day, it’s all about the common goal of preparing young people for future success, says Owatonna High School Principal Kory Kath. “As students venture through this journey that is high school, these partnerships with industry leaders and the community are helping them explore something that they may never have thought was a potential for them. Now they have a career goal that gives them energy and excitement for their future.”