Partnering with local schools to help prepare students for work & life

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT -> SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS

CareerLife
The CareerLife program is a partnership between the Hudsonville Area Chamber of Commerce, the Hudsonville Public Schools, and Unity Christian High School where Juniors are given the opportunity to explore potential career paths through interaction with local business leaders.

This program was launched in 2013 with the first annual event being hosted at Royal Technologies and featuring 25 businesses from various sectors.

Today, the program includes over 35 industry speakers and over 500 students each year.

Businesses interested in representing a sector at future events (there is no charge for businesses to participate) should contact the Chamber.

Local College Access Network
The Hudsonville and Jenison school districts have partnered together on an initiative called the Local College Access Network (LCAN), a project that was begun during the 2011/12 school year. The LCAN will work closely with colleges and businesses to determine how to better prepare students for post high school experiences.

Local high school students participate in a panel discussion with business leaders about the importance of workplace experiences

The Chamber of Commerce leadership participates in the business partnerships goal group, which aims to develop stronger student connections with community businesses, as well as to arrange for professional development opportunities for teachers.

In this light, the Hudsonville Area Chamber of Commerce continues to seek businesses that are willing to explore a role in partnering with the educational system, such as:

Serving an a guest speaker at either staff meetings or student classrooms
Hosting an intern or co-op student
Hosting a teacher
Providing expertise
Serving as a mentor or coach
Offering tours of your business to classrooms
Offering a job shadowing experience

Doing More.Together.
Doing More Together - Hudsonville Area Chamber of Commerce

Through the Doing More. Together. partnership, Ottawa area schools are collaborating with companies and organizations across the region to showcase the high quality education taking place in local communities. From faith-based schools to public schools and public school academies, all of us – through this unique affiliation – are united in the belief that high quality education is what makes good communities great.

The Doing More. Together. partnership offers an opportunity for everyone in and around the Ottawa region to actively participate in sharing stories about the many positive things happening in our schools. Visit www.doingmoretogether.org to experience our stories, share your own, and learn about ways to partner with us.

If any of these opportunities sound interesting to you, please contact Michelle Fare at director@hudsonvillechamber.com.