There are many paths to a bright future for every high school student. Deciding which to take can be daunting – there are colleges, universities, trade schools and other routes. The New Market Skills Center helps Thurston County high school students get a jump on a career path, or eliminate a path that’s not the right for them. With 31 industry-recognized credentials and 14 career technical education programs, they have a lot to offer. This past summer, Leadership Thurston County partnered with New Market Skills Center to enrich its offering even more with the addition of Youth Leadership Thurston County: field trips to businesses within the program’s industries.
“It was a community and career immersion program,” shares Alisha Blain-Warner, director of Leadership Thurston County. “A day for the students to explore various businesses right here in Thurston County, to potentially see themselves in careers that they may not know are an option, and to simply show them that they live in a community that cares.”
The field trip days were sponsored by over 50 local businesses, so there was no cost to the New Market Skill Center or the students.
Creating Youth Leadership Thurston County
The idea for a program like Youth Leadership Thurston County was planted in 2017, when Alisha attended the Association of Leadership Programs conference. “I was introduced to organizations that not only have a signature adult program like Leadership Thurston County, but an array of other programming such as youth programs, executive programs, campaign school programs, even programs for relocated retirees,” she shares. “Through my involvement with the Association of Leadership Programs over the year, I vowed to work towards additional programs under the Leadership Thurston County umbrella at the Thurston County Chamber Foundation.”
Of course, COVID created a bit of a roadblock, as things had to pivot to Zoom meetings. But by 2023, the graduating Leadership Thurston County class was talking about how to do a similar program for high school students. What they needed was a place that already had the infrastructure for handling lots of students from different schools. “New Market Skills Center Executive Director and Leadership Thurston County Class of 2023 graduate [Matt Ishler] came up to me following the Closing Retreat and said, ‘If only there was a consortium that already brings all of the school districts together in Thurston County.’ My mouth fell to the floor, we met with in a few weeks of that day, and I pitched the program to the Leadership Thurston County Board of Regents in August 2023.”
With the board’s approval, things moved along. Alisha spent February and March 2024 with all 14 programs at New Market Skills Center, speaking to both students and staff about what kinds of field trips they would want to see during a summer session.
Youth Career Fields Trips Give Them a Taste of Their Future
When you are young, it’s hard to know what you want to do. Something that sounds good on paper might turn out to be your nightmare job. Conversely, something you may have never thought of may turn out to be your dream career. The Youth Leadership Thurston County program gave high school students at New Market Skills Center a real taste of several careers, opening their minds and eyes to the realities and possibilities of different career paths.
Sponsor companies and volunteer chaperones – one for every 10 students – made 11 days of field trips, from June 24 through July 11, 2024, possible. “I am incredibly grateful for the support from this community and their investment in our youth,” shares Alisha. “50 sponsors, 40 site visits, 18 volunteer chaperones – we may not know the difference we made in a student’s life anytime soon, but I believe we did make an impact on those students. Whether they can now see themselves living and working here or simply knowing their community cares about them to open their doors to let them explore, I am thankful for my relationships and connections within Thurston County to make this happen. I was blown away by the number of non-Leadership Thurston County alumni who sponsored a student. Whether that is a testament to the Leadership Thurston County program knowing we’d facilitate a great experience or even friends and family who believe in me and the work that I do. It was a great experience and I can’t wait to see how this program grows!”
Each field trip day, students went to three to five businesses that paired with the New Market Skills Center program they were in. For example, the veterinary assistant program visited North Olympia Animal Hospital and watched animals being prepped for surgery. They also went to Lost Peacock Creamery and Wolf Haven International. The criminal justice program went to the Thurston County Sherriff’s Office Field Office, toured the Old Thurston County Jail, met with Representative Bateman and Superior Court Judge Skinder and even watched Change of Plea hearings.
“Overall, it was a success the first year,” shares Alisha. “I’m certain some students left the day saying, ‘I absolutely do not want to do this’ and some saying, ‘I can’t wait to be a (insert career here)!’ And both realizations are successful. We have a few avenues of opportunity to see this program continue and grow into the future and I look forward to working with Matt Ishler, New Market Skills Center executive director on that path forward. (Once we determine what path we want to take!)”
To learn more, visit the Leadership Thurston County website and the New Market Skills Center website.
