Page 36 - BusinessWest May 29, 2023

a desire for JA to play a pivotal role in helping to solve the workforce needs of employers while also putting young people on a path to not just jobs, but careers.
As plans for the CLIC began to materialize, she said, a search commenced for a space. Many options were considered, but eventually those at JA concluded they had everything they needed — space-wise, at least — in its suite of offices on the mezzanine level at Tower Square.
The 3,045-square-foot facility will be reconfig- ured and furnished for the new center, she noted, adding that the CLIC will include a number of components, including:
• A learning lab that will provide student groups with what Connelly called a “starting point for their career exploration journey.” It will also be a space to promote JA’s financial-literacy curriculum;
• A collaboration hub, which will provide groups with a space for interactive work, problem solving, and critical and creative thinking. The space will include modular seating, whiteboards, breakout laptops and tablets, and a leadership library; and
• A manufacturing lab, a makerspace that will provide young adults with the tools and programs to explore and accelerate a career in the manu- facturing industry. The CLIC steering committee is currently working with local manufacturers to determine the best resources for the space, Con- nelly said, adding that equipment may eventually include 3D printers, a flow forge, a Cricut suite, hand tools, soldering kits, and STEM kits.
Overall, the CLIC will provide experiential learning opportunities for middle- and high- school students, said Connelly, adding that,
by engaging students in hands-on experiences and reflection, “they are better able to connect theories and knowledge learned in the classroom to real work situations.”
And such connections are needed at a time when many young people need exposure to careers and the paths to them, she noted, adding that, for middle- school students, visits to the CLIC may help them with the all-important deci- sion of deciding which high school to attend.
As she talked about a
visit to the CLIC, Connelly
said it will be preceded by
completion of JA Inspire Virtual, a career-explo- ration program designed to highlight careers and educational opportunities in the region. At the center, students will participate in a seminar led by guest speakers from local businesses, and then rotate through the modular-based learning experiences at the learning lab, collaboration zone, and manufacturing space — followed by a working lunch with financial-literacy activities.
The center will also be open after school for students interested in pursuing entrepreneurial interests by operating their own student compa- ny. And in the evening, the center will be available to community organizations and local employers as a hub for learning and collaboration.
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno takes a swing at the wall that will be coming down to make way for the new center.
Bottom Line
Turning back the clock maybe 50 years or so, Connelly noted that what is now JA of Western Massachusetts was an agency, but also a place where young people from schools across the area could come and, through its ‘company’ program, form a business, make a product, and sell it.
Through the CLIC, JA will be able to provide that kind of experience again, she said, adding that, while the center is a blast from the past in some respects, it is really all about the future — as in the future of thousands of area young peo- ple and the area businesses that will, hopefully, employ them. BW
— George O’Brien
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