CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT-CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION Issue 1

November

2013

ARE YOU READY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE? IN THIS ISSUE

With the newly adopted state Employability Skills for Career Readiness standards in Workplace Readiness, teachers and students state-wide are trying to get a grasp on how to best assure “readiness” not only on testing day, but when they exit high school as well.

Real Life Integration In the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) teaching-to-the-test mentality, educators in Career and Technical Education are now facing a testing benchmark for students which is purely application based. The Workplace Readiness Skills test is application of knowledge. Students must understand not only the twenty-one standard definitions but they must be able to identify them in real life.

The Standard Definitions The interactive standard lessons now accessible on CTE-ESCR.org were created to define the standards and offer perspective interpretation on what each skill looks like in life. They additionally offer suggestions on how improvements can be made on one’s current skill-set.

Springboard Approach The curriculum is intended as a resource to get everyone on the same page. In fact, the

CTE-ESCR.org website along with the newsletter is just that- a resource. Through the natural design of the various CTE programs of study, students are modeling workplace skills in the daily application of the field they are studying.

The Website Along with the lessons, the website offers links to updated social media feeds highlighting current articles, Tweets, and online media touting the more recent data on the topic of Workplace Readiness. The Resource page will be built out over the next couple of months relocating videos, infographics, and articles currently inaccessible through the district filter.

An Evolving Resource The fundamental idea behind the development of CTE-ESCR.org is to have a virtual resource for students and teachers that grows with the technology and needs of its targeted audience, you. It is also intended to be a “voice of a community” showcasing your ideas and accomplishments as inspiration.

Picture Perfect Work Skills As the only public high school cosmetology program state-wide, the Southeast Career Technical Academy (SECTA) students walk the walk daily offering a full service salon to paying clients.

Page 4

Show Us Your Work Skills Be a part of modeling Workplace Readiness Skills. See how you and your students can become a leading voice in helping others identify stellar work skills. Page 3

What is CTE-ESCR.org by Monique Gaudin

Former Cosmetologist Randi Dybdal from Denmark was impressed by the professionalism demonstrated at SECTA. Here Jan Garrett-DeSimone gives student Iranalicia pointers on finishing touches. Photo: Monique Gaudin

SWCTA Engineering students get professional instruction from community business leaders. Photo: Monique Gaudin

Photo: Monique Gaudin

Clark County School District Career & Technical Education

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Workplace Readiness Skills – Employability Skills for Career Readiness

By merely referencing the standards while on task, students will begin to recognize what employability skills look like in context.

What Is It? Just as Ms. Cale prints out the list of standards and has her students references them, you too can easily integrate a daily reinforcement through a quick Q & A with your students.

Name That Standard Display the standards where all can see them when entering the classroom, workplace, lab, or break area.

• Have students identify how many standards on the list they may have touched in a lesson.

• As you begin a class, give out bonus points to the students who can illustrate a standard with a real-life example.

• Ask students for ways they can think of to acknowledge the standards.

“I have made multiple copies of the Employability Skills for Career Readiness chart and had them laminated. I divide the students up into groups, usually five to six students per group. Then I give them the ESCR chart and have them discuss how the lesson ties in to any of the ESCR. They discuss this within their group and then report their findings to the class.

For example: If we studied a lesson on Professionalism, one group might share how that ties in to standard #4

-Self-Representation. The students are very creative, and on many of our lessons they tie in as many as 6 or 8 Employability Skills.

My focus is to have the Employability Skills for Career Readiness in front them at all times so that they are very familiar with them all.”

PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

“Just because you got the job doesn’t mean you have a job. The bottom line is once you have the job two things have to happen. You have to get along with all fellow employees. As well as you have to perform.”

GARY HUGHES State Farm, Insurance Agent

Referencing the Standards by Monique Gaudin

Applications from the Classroom by Denise Cale

Denise Cale teaches the hospitality program of study at Northwest Career & Technical Academy. Her students practice employability skills daily as NWCTA hosts many outside events and conventions.

Photo: Dimmare

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Workplace Readiness Skills – Employability Skills for Career Readiness

WORKPLACE SKILLS IN ACTION

Standard 3 - Teamwork Pointing out the standard in action helps students identify what a desired work skill looks like. Here Patti Hayden in the CTE office is helping our newest member Pilar Ruiz, learn the ins and outs of working with grants’ and the teacher’s paperwork.

Standard 4 – Self-Representation Students at East Career & Technical Academy demonstrate and critique what professional dress should look like.

FAST FACTS

64% Of employers monitor employee internet activity.

93% Of HR managers surveyed said that technical skills are easier to teach than soft skills. HR.com

QUOTE

"Educators need to focus on teaching a breadth of skills. IT skills are important, but soft skills, while not evaluated in school, are fundamental to every job students are pursuing today and in the future."

SAYS

Anthony Salcito, vice president of Worldwide Public Sector Education at Microsoft

Be loud and proud and send me your best skill in action for the website and the newsletter. mgaudin@interact.ccsd.net

Show Us Your Standard Send me a snapshot, caption, or video showing the standards in action. Not only will this provide you with a bragging opportunity, but you will be helping others identify what the skill in action looks like.

Why Is Sharing Important? By sharing how you integrate Employability Skills reinforcement opportunities, you are helping others by providing ideas and examples.

Ways You Can share There are multiple ways in which you can contribute to the Workplace Readiness Skills – Employability Skills for Career Readiness website, newsletter, and curriculum:

Send a picture of a skill in action. Make sure to include a caption stating the standard, program of study and who the people are.

Create a short video illustrating a standard in action.

Send a link to an article or fast fact dealing with any or all standards.

Write an article sharing an activity you use in your classroom that reinforces good work skills.

Interview a business leader and share their take on “soft-skills.”

Ground Rules Remember that all content should be school appropriate. It may not contain any inappropriate language, attire, or gestures

even if you are trying to demonstrate poor work skill habits.

Media Release It is also important that you send a signed media release with any content you submit. Without it, we cannot publish it in the newsletter, the website, or use it within the curriculum lessons. You can download one at: http://cte-escr.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/WRS-ESCR_MediaRelaseForm.pdf

See You Soon The sooner you send your contribution, the sooner I can add it in and share your interpretations and expert advice to students and colleagues.

SEND YOUR SUBMISSIONS TO

Monique Gaudin mgaudin@interact.ccsd.net

MAIL CTE-CCSD 3950 S. Pecos-McLeod Las Vegas, NV 89121

Show Your Skills by Monique Gaudin

Got a shot or video that deserves a mention send it on over.

Photo: Monique Gaudin

Photo: Monique Gaudin

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Workplace Readiness Skills – Employability Skills for Career Readiness

Of the many Career and Technical Education programs of study, Southeast Career Technical Academy perched scenically, on a hill overlooking the Las Vegas Strip, holds the boasting rights as the only public high school cosmetology program in the State of Nevada. As such, SECTA is the only secondary education level program that produces award winning certified cosmetologists.

Beauty is Timeless Since the school’s opening in 1966, both Gals and Guys have been completing high school with enough hours and experience to sit for their State Boards and become licensed as Master Cosmetologists allowing them to do hair, make-up, and nails.

Ready by Exit Students are completing high school ready to enter the workforce already licensed, and experienced in servicing a diverse clientele as they have honed their skills in the school’s full service salon open to the public five days a week.

Walking the Walk In addition to taking home top honors in the annual SkillsUSA competition, SECTA Cosmetology entrants rocked the Las Vegas, October 14-16 “Battle of the Strands” Student Competition. The SECTA teams won 1st, 3rd, 4th, and an honorable mention in the fierce international competition of the top professional artists, competing in an Avant Garde hair, nails, makeup, and wardrobe competition.

Teamwork in Action Competitors had to work in teams in this first year student competition to create a total themed runway look complete with hairstyles, photo ready makeup, 3D nail art, and wardrobe.

Employability Skills In addition to stellar teamwork skills, students demonstrate mastery of all the Personal Qualities and People Skills grouping of standards along with Critical Thinking, Health and Safety, Resource Management

and Customer Service.

Cosmo in Action by Jan Garrett-DeSimone, Tori Thorn, & Monique Gaudin

The SECTA Cosmetology program rolled out the red carpet for a fellow visiting cosmetology student Charlotte from Denmark. “Our school is much smaller, we only have four students in my class and we are only studying hair,” said Charlotte. In many of the schools there, you have to secure an apprenticeship spot at a salon before you can be accepted. “Otherwise, it cost more money,” explained Heidi Bode Thomsen Charlotte’s mother. Her spot in the program costs about $10,000.00 compared to the $1,400.00 the SECTA students will pay in lab fees between their junior and senior years. Another Danish former cosmetologist along on the tour of the school, Randi Dybdal, also observed how hygienic everything is by comparison.

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Workplace Readiness Skills – Employability Skills for Career Readiness

Anthony Vidal, corporate executive chef for the Hash House A Go Go restaurant started working with CCSD students as a mentor chef five years ago and has remained actively involved with student competitions and work readiness.

Starting Out Fresh “This is a great opportunity for us business people in Vegas, in Nevada, to recruit for our future. I find a lot of kids that really have a passion that is lacking in our industry,” says Mr. Vidal. “I have hired a few students and I have taught them. You have to babysit them a little more but their mind is fresh. You can teach them the right way and not have to first break bad habits.”

A Head Start Opportunity Mr. Vidal expressed how much further along he would have been in his career if he had attended one of the culinary programs in CCSD. He says “People care a lot here in Clark County and through programs such as ProStart.”

Making a Difference Through interacting with community leaders such as Mr. Vidal, students are afforded the ability to practice real-life skills and receive valuable feedback on how they are doing. If you love watching reality shows such as Master Chef and Cupcake Wars, stop over next time the students are competing in SkillsUSA, ProStart, or FCCLA. The competition is fierce and the student application of skill is nothing short of professional.

CCSD-CTE

This Month’s Resource Links

Articles 24 Easy Ways To Encourage Teamwork In School Edudemic State of American Workplace Gallup Poll 2013 Top 10 Workplace Trends Forbes Millennials Face Workplace Challenges USA Today

Non–Discrimination Statement Nevada Department of Education: does not discriminate against any person on the

basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability and age, and that they provide equal access to the Boy Scouts of America and other designated youth groups.

Community Leader Spotlight

Photo: Monique Gaudin

Director: Stan Hall Asst. Director: Dr. Dawn Burns Coordinators: Nancy Hamilton- Family & Consumer Science David McElwain- Skills & Technical Sciences, Agriculture Kim Moody- Business/ Marketing, Information & Media Technology

Project Facilitators: Jan Routsong- Health Science

Kelly Smith- Instructional Coach Monique Gaudin- Employability

3950 S. Pecos-McLeod Las Vegas, NV 89121

702 799-8462

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Workplace Readiness Skills – Employability Skills for Career Readiness