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Local students participate in 'signing day' to commit to jobs

Ellen Abbott
/
WRVO News
High school and college students participate in a signing day to work for local companies

There was a different kind of signing ceremony in Syracuse in June. Instead of committing to a sports team, high school and college students committed to jobs.

It looked like a letter of intent signing ceremony for athletes. Nine high school and college students sat on a special platform with banners and hats emblazoned with logos in front of them. But instead of a sports team, they signed letters of intent to take a job at a local tech or manufacturing company.

The event was coordinated by Partners for Education and Business that works with STEM educational organizations in central New York. Aliyah Morris of Syracuse is a graduating high school senior. She has a job and internship at G.A. Braun in North Syracuse this summer.

"It really gave me a lot of advantages for an inner city kid like me, that I would never have," said Morris. "Like engineering jobs, connections with people, all this real life experience."

College graduates also signed letters of intent, like Imari Gary, who got a job at Anaren.

"They really made an effort to match us all up with companies and have interviews with us, have us meet mentors and things with the company," said Gary. "We had a connection with HR so we don’t have to go through an application process. We just send our resume and handle the rest."

These students have already job-shadowed in a wide range of  local companies, so they know what they are getting into. Jeff Pirozzolo, superintendent of the Auburn Enlarged City School, said getting recognition for hard work and a job at the end of it can’t be minimized.

"This is what our children need to see, this kind of celebration. Because sometimes we do focus on sports too much. But focusing on academics and the workforce is huge," said Pirozzolo.

Students who got the jobs went through one of three programs. P-TECH programs at local schools, tech-sector pre-apprenticeship programs, or the STEM Scholars Program.

For employers, like Lisa Mondello of SRC, says programs like this fill a gap for them.

"It’s very hard to find talented engineers, computer science and so that’s what we’re really focused on as well as our manufacturing entity," said Mondello.

Right now, there are more jobs in central New York in STEM and manufacturing than qualified people to fill them. Randy Wolken of the Manufacturers Association of Central New York says this program makes kids aware early on, that there is the potential for a job in their hometown.

"Let’s not wait until they’re someplace else and maybe taking a job in some other part of the country.  We need to stop the brain drain and get them engaged while they’re here," said Wolken.

Ellen produces news reports and features related to events that occur in the greater Syracuse area and throughout Onondaga County. Her reports are heard regularly in regional updates in Morning Edition and All Things Considered.