Some high schools have requested increased engagement from BMCC and onsite staff. They have identified the need for more job shadowing opportunities, additional internships, increased scholarships for certification programs and improved transportation options. To address these issues, strategies such as researching job shadowing opportunities, promoting Schools to Careers initiatives and facilitating local internships have been explored. Additionally, a list of WBL and CCL resources and sites was shared with local schools to provide further support. Key partners, including the Chamber of Commerce, ESD, STEAM organizations and staff meetings, have been actively engaged, and supervisor check-ins have been implemented to track progress.
The Eastern Oregon Career Expo takes place every year on the first Wednesday of April on Eastern Oregon University's La Grande campus. This year, it is on April 3rd. This regionally focused event provides a venue for local employers to gain exclusive access to our impressive pool of jobseekers for internship, employment and career opportunities and the possibility to educate them on your special industry! The Eastern Oregon Career Expo is free to attend for both employers and students.
A collaboration to institute a peer-to-peer/mentor-mentee program at one of our area schools is underway. The team between the BMCC CCL Navigator, the IMESD, and TTAN, (Transition Technical Assistance Network), has come together to help engage/include students with an IEP, or with disabilities to be more engaged and trained in CTE/STEAM classes at school and participate in real-life work experience for hands-on learning of skills necessary for employment opportunities. This program teaches and trains youth mentors with classroom or job coaching to help support their peers/mentees in the Youth Transition Program. This program would reinforce mentors’ skills in learning, interpersonal skills, management skills, and self-esteem. The mentees would receive training from peers making it more personal, accepting of directions, and trust building, thus reinforcing their ability to overcome self-doubt, limiting beliefs, and succeed.
Working with Anna Browne has been a pleasure. She is bilingual and has a BA in Spanish & Latin Studies, as well as a M.ED. Anna is the Workforce Specialist and long-time resident of Boardman Oregon where she is passionate about helping youth find a career, they are passionate about and implementing programs to better assist local schools, workforce and community partners. She is a non-stop implementer and action taker making an impact in connecting our area youth to engagement opportunities, trainings and careers.
PathwaysU is an innovative and user-friendly career path alignment platform for 8-12 graders.
The project addresses regional needs in K-12 career connected learning, providing equal career development support and ensuring equitable outcomes for all.
Dear Industry Partners,
Being based locally is an asset! Strengthen your community partnerships by reaching out to your Career Connected Systems Navigator or Small Business Development Center. For further guidance, contact your Workforce Development Board, STEM Hub Director or get in touch with high school career and guidance counselors.
Your direct involvement makes a difference! Provide guidance and feedback to Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs by serving on a local CTE Program Advisory Committee. Mentor young people by developing internships, registered apprenticeships and posting job opportunities. Engage in outreach and promotion by participating in a career day or career fair.
Do you have a resource or contact to share? Please reach out to us at the contact information below! For an overview of how your company can get involved, download our CCL Guide for Industry Partners below. You can also visit the Career Connect Oregon page for industry partners.
Dear Community-Based Organizations,
Did you know that Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) are uniquely suited to improve workforce development for young people ages 18-24 with pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeships? Learn more by reading this helpful article by the Center for Apprenticeship & Work-Based Learning!
While your organization builds capacity to run apprenticeship programs, you can partner with other organizations and provide essential training, offer referrals, and contribute services to complement existing programs. Consider pilot programs as a viable starting point!
For information about national apprenticeship initiatives, consult Apprenticeship USA. For resources specific to Oregon, check out this link from the Oregon Bureau of Labor & Industries. The Oregon Health Authority is partnering with CBOs to provide funding for apprenticeship programs. Additional sources for general funding can be found at Care Oregon and the Oregon Community Foundation.
Dear CTE and STE(A)M Instructors, Counselors, and Education Administrators,
If you know someone starting out, send them to the Oregon Department of Education to learn about CTE teacher preparation and licensure. Once you are in the classroom, you are covered by Oregon State Standards. In addition, Career Connect Oregon has combined standards from the American School Counselor Association and Oregon Administrative Rules in an easy-to-read handout. We also provide you with curriculum suites at Career Connect Oregon.
To stay up-to-date in your field, consult with the Association for Career and Technical Education, and always check out what in-person and online trainings Oregon PDNetworks has to offer.
Return often to stay informed about what’s happening in your region and who to get in touch with to connect your students with the rich resources in your community.
You can also visit the Career Connect Oregon Page for educators.
Dear Students,
Get help and find the career and educational path that feels right for you. Here are some places you can check out right now!
Match careers to your interests at Oregon CIS, YouScience. Ask your school counselor for more information. What’s hot? Use Oregon’s Employment Department to research wages, required skills and education for high-demand jobs. Get paid to learn at AmeriCorps, JobCorps, and YouthCorps while serving in communities across Oregon and the US.
Want to start a business? Oregon’s Small Business Development Center and DECA have programs to help your ideas grow. Many careers with high levels of responsibility require a degree or training. Find hundreds of programs across Oregon schools. Check out Oregon’s 7 Public Universities, 17 Community Colleges, and Licensed Private Career Schools. Concerned about how you’ll pay for education? Oregon Student Aid has affordable options for everyone. You can also visit the Career Connect Oregon page for students. To get involved locally, check out the Blue Mountain Career Center website.
Resource Guide for Grades 5-8 Resource Guide for Grades 9-12
Dear Families and Caregivers,
You are the first influence on the young person in your home, and Career Connect Oregon is here to assist you in guiding them. Begin by encouraging self-discovery and exploration. What jobs are they interested in? Oregon CIS, YouScience, and Oregon Department of Education’s Career Explorer are excellent, free resources for developing awareness and beginning exploration.
What skill does your student need to develop along the way? Tap Oregon Employability Skills for their traits framework and C3 for their career journey maps, which will help in planning coursework and early workplace experiences.
As students enter high school, keep an eye on Oregon Diploma requirements. Oregon Employment Department’s Career Explorer will help spark a conversation about jobs.
PARTNERS WORKING FOR STUDENT SUCCESS
Title: Career Connected Learning Systems Navigator
Role Description: A Career Connected Learning Systems Navigator facilitates the integration of educational and career development programs, serving as a liaison between schools, community colleges and industry partners. This role focuses on ensuring equitable access to career learning opportunities, guiding students through awareness, exploration, preparation and training in various career paths.
Phone Number: 541-278-5923
E-mail: dclaus@bluecc.edu
Title: Director of Recruitment and Retention | Blue Mountain Community College
Role Description: A Director of Recruitment and Retention at a community college develops strategies to attract new students and keep current students engaged and enrolled. This role involves marketing the college’s programs, enhancing the student experience, and implementing support services that address academic and personal challenges.
Phone Number: 541-278-5921
E-mail: jgrosjacques@bluecc.edu
Title: InterMountain CTE Regional Coordinator
Role Description: A CTE Regional Coordinator oversees the implementation and development of Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs across various schools or districts. This role involves coordinating with educators, industry partners and other collaborators to ensure that CTE curricula meet both educational standards and the needs of the workforce.
Phone Number: 541-966-7865
E-mail: caitlin.russell@imesd.k12.or.us
Title: Program Director at Great Oregon STEM
Role Description: The Greater Oregon STEM Hub manages the development and execution of free STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education programs. The role focuses on building partnerships with schools, higher education institutions and industry to enhance STEM learning and career opportunities for students.
Phone Number: 541-962-3587
E-mail: sholloway@eou.edu
Title: Executive Director | Eastern Oregon Workforce Board
Role Description: The Executive Director of a Workforce Development Board leads efforts to align workforce development strategies with regional economic needs. This role focuses on engaging employers, educational institutions and community organizations to create and implement training programs that address skill gaps and support job seekers.
Phone Number: 541-963-3693
E-mail: erin@eowb.org
Title: Director | School2Careers
Role Description: The School2Careers coordinator is tasked with creating impactful experiences for both students and businesses. They work to nurture the local workforce, while forging invaluable connections. Their role is marked by unwavering dedication to bridging the gap between students and local businesses.
Phone Number: 509-833-0685
E-mail: school2careers@pendletonchamber.com
Title: Youth Programs Coordinator | Eastern Oregon Workforce Board
Role Description: The Youth Program Coordinator of the Eastern Oregon Workforce Board emphasizes helping youth find career paths that offer longevity, while supporting their engagement with local employers to foster meaningful connections and long-term career opportunities. By aligning internships and training programs with high-wage, high-demand industries, this role ensures that young job seekers are equipped with the skills and opportunities needed to succeed in the regional workforce.
Phone Number: 541-624-2893
E-mail: succeed@eowb.org
Title: High School Programs Manager at Greater Oregon STEM
Role Description: Responsible for curriculum review, modification, and development along with data collection and analysis of the Patterns “High School Science for All” curriculum. His focus is analysis from a rural and digital access lens in order to improve access to the program in those areas of Oregon specifically.
Phone Number: 208-440-1102
E-mail: boothbc@eou.edu
Title: CTE Career Connection Coordinator | Eastern Oregon Regions 13 & 14
Role Description: Career Connection Coordinator plays a vital role in facilitating meaningful connections between students, educators, and the broader community to support students’ career exploration and readiness. This position involves collaborating with various stakeholders to develop and implement strategies, programs, and resources that promote students’ awareness of career opportunities, enhance their employability skills, and facilitate successful transitions to post-secondary education and the workforce.
Phone Number: 541-419-3085
E-mail: john.stroup@malesd.org
Title: Workforce Development Specialist | Port of Morrow
Role Description: A Workforce Development Specialist focuses on assessing local labor market needs, developing training programs and connecting job seekers with employment opportunities. They collaborate with employers to understand industry requirements and work with educational institutions to align training with these needs.
Phone Number: 541-945-2231
E-mail: annab@portofmorrow.com
Title: Director of Recruitment and Retention | Blue Mountain Community College
Role Description: A Director of Recruitment and Retention at a community college develops strategies to attract new students and keep current students engaged and enrolled. This role involves marketing the college’s programs, enhancing the student experience, and implementing support services that address academic and personal challenges.
Phone Number: 541-278-5921
E-mail: jgrosjacques@bluecc.edu
Title: InterMountain CTE Regional Coordinator
Role Description: A CTE Regional Coordinator oversees the implementation and development of Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs across various schools or districts. This role involves coordinating with educators, industry partners and other collaborators to ensure that CTE curricula meet both educational standards and the needs of the workforce.
Phone Number: 541-966-7865
E-mail: caitlin.russell@imesd.k12.or.us
REGIONAL RESOURCES
CTE Teacher Licensure is needed for an instructor to teach in a state-approved CTE program. Find out specific information for your program career cluster at the Oregon Department of Education’s CTE Teacher Licensure: Teaching, Learning, and Communication Resources. For help obtaining a CTE endorsement in your region, contact your CTE Regional Coordinator.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */CTE Educator Resources from the Oregon Department of Education provide information and a multitude of resources related to Career and Technical Education in Oregon.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */Oregon Open Learning: WBL Hub is Oregon’s K-12 open educational resource repository for work-based learning. The Oregon Open Learning: WBL Hub contains resources created by Oregon educators to help learners get the experience employers are seeking and gain the skills and credentials they need to enter and succeed in their careers.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */ASPIRE – Oregon Student Aid. The ASPIRE program helps educate Oregon students to become career and college ready. ASPIRE offers education, resources and mentoring opportunities for all students.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */Career Connect Oregon – Curriculum for Educators offers curriculum suites aligned with ASCA standards and OARs. Suites include quick-start guides, lesson plans, and handouts. Cooperative learning strategies and creative assessment ideas included in each suite!
/* Your custom link styles with !important */Workforce Talent Development Board provides a productive space for educators to engage and partner with one another that includes innovative task forces, research projects, data and reports, strategies and recommendations.
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Link to CTE Educator Resources
REGIONAL RESOURCES
Career OneStop Take this 30-question interest assessment to help you match your interests with exciting careers.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */Career Journeys Watch young Oregonians in high-demand trades share their career journeys and give you a window into their workday.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */Oregon Career Pathways: Explore career pathways through the Oregon Employment Department to understand the education and training needed for different occupations. Learn which jobs are in highest demand and what they pay.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */The Blue Mountain Community College Career Center: can assist users in gaining more clarity and understanding in their search for a career that better suits their unique self. The BMCC Career Center is designed to help users use the provided tools to better understand themselves personally, academically, and occupationally.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */Career and Technical Education: Oregon Department of Education offers programs and resources for students interested in technical and vocational education. Learn more about the 6 career areas and find programs in your school.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */Oregon Apprenticeship: This website offers information on registered apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, helping students explore hands-on training opportunities in various trades statewide.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */Training Corps: For students interested in environmental careers, OCC provides opportunities for training and work experience in conservation. Get paid to learn at AmeriCorps, JobCorps, and YouthCorps while serving in communities across Oregon and the US.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */REGIONAL RESOURCES
Search CTE Programs Across the State. Curious about what Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs are available? Visit this link for a database of searchable CTE programs at every high school in Oregon.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */Oregon Young Employee Safety strives to prevent injury and illnesses and promote well-being among young workers through resource sharing and community partnership.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */Oregon Career Information System provides career exploration and planning tools. Parents can access resources to help their children explore different career paths.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */Oregon Student Aid: The Higher Education Coordinating Commission offers information on higher education options in Oregon, including college and university programs.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */Personal Education Plan and Profile: Find out more about this document for secondary students—updated yearly—that contains their interests, coursework, career aspirations, participation in career-related learning and a portfolio of their achievements.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */Oregon C3 Career Journey Maps are centered around 16 major career clusters and designed to encourage discussion among practitioners, students and their families. Each map includes sample jobs, general specifications, job descriptions, suggestions for preparation, links to additional resources and suggestions for next steps.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */REGIONAL RESOURCES
Search CTE Programs Across the State: Visit this link for a database of searchable CTE Approved CTE Programs offered in Oregon’s high schools. There are two report options available; a Basic Search that displays program information for one secondary school offering CTE within the selected academic year and an Advanced Search that contains additional filtering options allowing users to explore results across, regions, counties, or career areas.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */Workforce Talent Development Board – Employer Resources: Post your job openings, identify qualified candidates and plan for the future of your employees. The majority of the Workforce Talent Development Board is made up of Oregon business leaders from Healthcare, Advanced Manufacturing, Information Technology, Energy, Sports and Apparel, Forest Products, Food and Beverage, and other sectors. The WTDB provides multiple tables, convenings and events for these leaders, and their public sector partners, to develop and drive strategy, policy and value for Oregon’s workforce system.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */WorkSource Oregon: Grow your skilled workers with apprenticeships, internships and training options. WorkSource Oregon is here to partner with your business and provides free services for employers and helps businesses craft job postings for improved results, convene job candidates through job fairs and hiring events. They can also help your business identify possible tax credits, provide customized workforce data analysis, and establish market-competitive wage rates to attract and retain talent.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */Oregon Apprenticeship: Apprenticeships are an excellent way to invest in your community’s young workforce. They compliment classroom learning, ensure a trained and engaged staff, and contribute to worker satisfaction and retention. For details on how your business can participate, follow the link below:
/* Your custom link styles with !important */Mapping CTE, STEM and Workforce Education in Oregon This interactive story map shows how five groups promote career-connected learning and develop job skills across the state. The following maps allow you to interact with Oregon’s Community College Districts, Career and Technical Education (CTE) Partnerships, Education Service Districts, Regional science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) Hubs and Local Workforce Boards.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */Oregon Bureau of Labor & Industries Minors, their parents and employers should know about the laws that protect children at work. They include hiring and working conditions that are specific to minors, restrictions on the hours and the types of work a minor can do.
/* Your custom link styles with !important */Regional Career Technical Education Partners and Locations
Pendleton, OR
Visit the website for the City of Pendleton Parks & Recreation Department and find a wealth of resources, including STEM classes for families.
Pendleton, OR
The Pendleton Chamber of Commerce upholds five core pillars: advancing business success, fostering a vibrant community, cultivating a robust local economy, advocating for business interests and facilitating networking connections. The Chamber supports entrepreneurship, embraces free enterprise and promotes managed growth.
Pendleton, OR
Learn all about STEM programming for middle school students. Features photos and reports from previous camps.
La Grande, OR
“The Greater Oregon STEM (GO STEM) Hub is one of 13 STEM hubs in Oregon working to bring together the resources of education and industry in support of STEM learning environments and career opportunities. We provide FREE preschool – age 20 STEM educational programming to seven counties of Eastern Oregon: Wallowa, Harney, Grant, Morrow, Union, Baker, and Umatilla counties.”
La Grande, OR
“We guide and coach students through the multiple aspects of career development. From the beginning stages of career exploration, to preparing for job interviews after graduation, EOU Career Services takes a foundational approach to helping EOU students connect their coursework to the workforce.”
La Grande, OR
Eastern Oregon Workforce Board serves Baker, Grant, Harney, Malheur, Morrow, Umatilla, Union and Wallowa Counties. Its mission is to “to connect eastern Oregon employers, individuals, and communities to address shared workforce challenges and leverage opportunities collaboratively.” Visit their website to find employer resources, internships and funding opportunities.
Pendleton, OR
“The Career and College Preparation department is here to help you reach your goals. Whether you want to learn English, prepare for GED exams, or strengthen math, reading, and writing skills before entering credit courses, we’ll set you up for success!”
Pendleton, OR
“The InterMountain Education Service District serves school districts in eastern Oregon. The IMESD has more than 270 employees who serve nearly 23,000 students in 17 component school districts in four counties — Morrow, Umatilla, Union and Baker.”
Pendleton, OR
“The TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) program at BMCC is a federally funded program that provides services to help students succeed in college. Research shows that students who are involved with a TRIO program have higher GPA’s, earn more credits, and are twice as likely to stay in college than students who do not receive that support.”
John Day, OR
“The purpose of our website is to regularly inform our school districts, students, parents, and community members of the excellent resources and services offered by the Grant County ESD. We encourage you to explore this website and learn more about the quality programming that is offered in our schools and community.”
Vale, OR
Malheur ESD focuses on “Improving Student Outcomes” P-20, prioritizing educational opportunities from early childhood to college and career readiness, aiming to create value for both schools and families within their service area. Additionally, they strive to improve teacher effectiveness through quality professional development and expand access to STEM/CTE and Early Learning programs.
Pendleton, OR
BMCC’s Early College Credit Program lets high school students earn college credits. Choose from dual credit courses taught by high school teachers or expanded options led by BMCC instructors. Credits are transferable, saving time and money toward a degree.
Pendleton, OR
Pendleton School District serves around 3,000 students in four elementary schools, one middle school, one comprehensive high school and one alternative high school. In addition, they host the Nixya’awii Charter School, serving students on the Confederate Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The District features programs such as the Early Learning Center and Agricultural Sciences.
Career Connected Learning is a partnership between the Oregon Department of Education and the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Committee. Site design, implementation and content development by Southern Oregon Education Service District, in partnership with Inflexion and the Journalistic Learning Initiative.
