Superhighway to Success Press

Detroit News

PONTIAC -- Shantel Winfield got her first taste of what it's like to be a researcher on Wednesday as she filled up trays with an ocean-blue concoction alongside Pfizer scientists.

"I got to experience what they did in the workplace," said Shantel, 14, an eighth-grader at Washington Middle School in Pontiac. "It makes me interested and want to learn more about it."

Organizers of the "Superhighway to Success" science and technology expo hope the estimated 11,000 students in grades 8-12 who attended the event at the Pontiac Silverdome had similar experiences and that many will one day work at the high-technology companies the county continues to recruit.

"With all the baby boomers retiring, we're going to need a lot more kids interested in math, science and technology," said Lon Grantham, a statistical scientist at Pfizer.

About 130 companies, colleges and universities tried to interest students in careers that require strength in math and science, subjects that Michigan students struggle with, according to state standardized test scores.

The event came a day after the Michigan Department of Education recommended requiring four years of math and three years of science to graduate from high school. Currently, the state doesn't mandate math or science for graduation.

Workers with math and science backgrounds will be needed to fill jobs in the high-tech fields that area leaders hope will supplant Michigan's ailing automotive industry.

"The businesses I'm recruiting -- nanotechnology, biotechnology, robotics, wireless communication, alternative energy -- these are all high-tech industries," said Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson. "We know the schools -- especially in Asia -- are emphasizing the math and science and courses that will put their students on a more competitive basis for the jobs of tomorrow. That train is leaving the station. The time is now for us to react while we still have a chance."

He said he's working with higher education institutions, such as Oakland University and Oakland Community College, to ensure more students are prepared for those fields.

"You're going to need more skills than a high school diploma," said Michelle Zellen, a spokeswoman for Automation Alley, which co-sponsored the expo with Oakland County and Oakland Schools. "The days of working the line for 30 years and retiring with a pension are over."

The state also is struggling with what Gov. Jennifer Granholm has called a "brain drain" of young workers. According to U.S. Census data, Michigan is losing residents ages 25 to 34 at a greater rate than other age categories.

One of the goals of the expo was to show there's no reason to leave, Zellen said.

"You can work here. There are very good, cool jobs out there that are paying well," she said. "We're trying to stop the brain drain."

Educators said the expo seems to have struck a chord with some students.

"A lot are asking about admission requirements and what kind of programs we have," said Tamra Bays, academic advisor in Oakland University's School of Health and Science. "It's great that they're exposed to these careers now. A lot of times students don't think about it until a few months before they graduate high school."

Madison Middle School eighth-grade teacher Kathy King said the experience is crucial in the world of quickly emerging and changing technology.

"They're seeing careers and occupations they've never thought of before. This is showing them a lot more than they're used to," she said. "It'll be beneficial in the long run."

Clarkston High School sophomore Julius Porter, 15, said talking with companies and universities at the expo helped him figure out what classes he'll need to take in high school and college to become a physician.

"It helps you plan to do what you want to take," he said, adding that it was better than looking up the information online. "It's easier to talk to a person face to face."

Patterson said he hopes to bring it back again next year.

OAKLAND PRESS

November 17, 2005

On the jobs superhighway

Web-posted Nov 17, 2005

Fair gives students ideas about possible career paths

By GARY GOSSELIN
Press Business Editor

PONTIAC - Thousands of students and more than 150 businesses and higher education representatives jammed the Silverdome on Wednesday for a look at job opportunities of the 21st century.

Billed as the Superhighway to Success: Career Pathways for the 21st Century, the event was part of an ongoing initiative to prepare Oakland students and businesses for the ultra-competitive world economy.

"This is pretty exciting, it's giving so many kids a chance to talk to people in the professions, what it's actually like on the job," said Linda Kruso, director for work force planning at Beaumont Hospital, which had a number of health-related career professionals and machinery to educate students on medical careers.

"This is really an important program to create an interest in health careers, they need to prepare now in math and science," Kruso said.

Sponsored by Automation Alley, Oakland County and Oakland Schools, the event featured more than 80 company booths divided into the six Michigan career pathways: arts and communication; business, management, marketing and technology; engineering, manufacturing and industrial technology; health sciences; human services; and natural resources and agriscience.

"I'm just looking around to see what kind of jobs are available," said 16-year-old Commerce Township resident and Walled Lake Central student Tommy Schmoltz. His passion is in art and design, and the career fair allowed him to see the myriad opportunities available.

Kelsey Krumrey, Cassie Mealin and Sarah Micklea, all 15-year-old sophomores at Waterford's Kettering High School were making the rounds together. Krumrey favors fashion design while Micklea said she is interested in interior design but they were all looking to see what all the opportunities are available to them in the area.

"I liked the dentist's station," said Mealin, noting they explained why her teeth look so good; saying she would consider a career in dentistry, among other things.

Adam Perry, 17, a senior at Genesee High School acknowledged the importance of getting into a career with higher training, noting his mom just got laid off from her manufacturing job in Grand Blanc.

"I'm trying to get a look at everything that's available," Perry said. "I'm going to go to a two-year community college and get my pre-reqs and then to a major university," he said, adding he'll probably figure out a career path while in the community college.

About 10,000 students showed up at the pilot event, said organizer Dawn Smith, a supervisor with the Oakland County human resources department.

"We got a lot of positive feedback from vendors and a lot of school districts used the lesson plans online and a lot of students asked a lot of good questions about the different careers," said Smith, noting schools can still call (248) 457-3200 for a CD and information packet about job opportunities.

"We're hoping this program will continue (annually) and that we have the interest from the business community and that the businesses really stay involved in educating these kids ‹ the educators cannot do this alone," Smith said, adding that the feedback from students, teachers and businesses was enthusiastic.

"This is fun, this is great, it's great to see so many kids," said Monica Tijerina, a spokeswoman for Pfi zer, which had two tables at the event. "Kids are told a lot about Œfuture jobs' and don't always know what that means, so this shows what that means when they talk to people who do these jobs every day."


Great Lakes IT Report Novmember 17, 2005
Matt Roush

Chilly Silverdome still draws a crowd for super career fair: Automation Alley's "Superhighway to Success" saw more than 10,000 students, 80 businesses, and 40 colleges and universities converge on the Pontiac Silverdome Wednesday for the high school career fair to end all high school career fairs. Many, if not most, of the exhibitors were tech companies, including names well-known from this newsletter such as Compuware Corp., Altair Engineering Inc., DASI Solutions L.L.C., MichTel Communications L.L.C., Strategic Staffing Solutions, Internet Operations Center, Intrepid Defense and Security Systems, United Solar Ovonic, Pfizer Inc. and more.

NextEnergy, the state of Michigan's alternative energy incubator, brought in a Mercedes-Benz F-cell fuel cell car and a University of Michigan solar racer. It's just too bad there was a problem with the heating systems at the dear old Silverdome, though -- it was the exact same temperature inside the dome as it was outside, and that meant it was freezing in there for the event. Still, bundled-up exhibitors said it was worthwhile.

"We had some kids connect the dots with what we were talking about," said Jerry Czernel, vice president of operations at AIM Computer Solutions Inc. of Fraser, a manufacturing engineering technology provider. "They all drive cars, and they realize the car is made of parts, and somebody's got to design them, and that's a job they could have in the future."