Business Partner & Youth Initiative! Visit our other website:
WIB Highlights:
On-the-Job-Training Funds Available!! Salary reimbursement to employers for up to six months or $8,500 of initial training wages paid for new hires! Contact PA CareerLink Bucks County Director Norm Brewer, nbrewer@bcoc.org or 215-781-1073 x2218 today!
BC-WIB Board Meetings:
Wednesday, September 8, 2010, 9:00 AM, PA CareerLink Bucks County, Bristol, PA
Wednesday, December 8, 2010, 9:00 AM Bucks County Community College, Newtown, PA
Wednesday, March 9, 2011, 9:00 AM Bucks County Technical High School, Fairless Hills
Wednesday, June 8, 2011, 9:00 AM, Delaware Valley College, Doylestown
Working to promote career awareness to ALL youth in Bucks County!
The Bucks County Workforce Investment Board, Inc. (BC-WIB) recently received a grant from the PA Department of Labor and Industry to fund the Regional Career Education Partnership (RCEP) project. Operated under the BC-WIB and within the scope of the plan and objectives provided by the Bucks County Youth Council, the project supports and extends Pennsylvania’s high school reform and career preparation strategies. The partnership will create and strengthen the process of exposing youth in Bucks County to career awareness and preparation and/or current labor market information.
Since the inception of the Bucks County Career Education Partnership in 2008, over 6,400 students in Bucks County participated in Career Awareness activities supported by the partnership!
View the information below regarding current and past Bucks County Career Education Partnership activities.
Regional Career Education Partners
Bucks County Workforce Investment Board, Inc.
Bucks County Youth Council
Bristol Borough School District (Project 720 School)
Bristol Township School District (Project 720 School)
Bucks County Intermediate Unit #22
Bucks County Technical High School
Centennial School District
Central Bucks School District-Transition Services
Job Corps
Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce
Middle Bucks Institute of Technology
Neshaminy School District-P.A.S.S. Program
Pennsbury School District
PA CareerLink Bucks County Youth Center
Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency
Ransome CAT, private industry
Travel Ease Litd, private industry
Upper Bucks County Technical High School
Youth Services Agency of Bucks County
Career Education Partnership Meeting Schedule
Thursday, July 15, 2010 at 8:30 AM at Bucks County Technical High School
Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 8:30 AM at Middle Bucks Institute of Technology
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 8:30 AM at PA CareerLink Bucks County
Thursday, April 21, 2011 at 8:30 AM at Upper Bucks County Technical School
Educator In The Workplace
The "Educator in the Workplace" program is once again being sponsored by the Bucks County Intermediate Unit and the Bucks County Workforce Investment Board during the 2010 summer. The program offers educators the opportunity to spend one week during the summer at an employer of their choice to learn about a career, and then become a champion within that career for their respective school district. Educators earn Act 48 credits along with a stipend for their participation. Summer 2009 participants are listed below, along with copies of the lesson plans that they created as part of the program.
For more information contact Maranda Kapish, BC-WIB at mkapish@bc-wib.org or JoAnn Perotti, BCIU at jperotti@bucksiu.org. Applications are due back to the Bucks County Intermediate Unit no later than Friday, May 14, 2010.
Each year, Governor Rendell dedicates one week in November as Health Careers Week in order to create an opportunity for students across the Commonwealth to learn about exciting careers in Healthcare! This year, Health Careers Week will be November 8 to 12, 2010.
2010 Schedule of Events:
Tuesday, November 9, 2010: Health Careers Fair at Bucks County Community College, Newtown. This event is open to all school districts in Bucks County.
Friday, November 12, 2010: Healthcare Job Fair at PA CareerLink Bucks County, Bristol. This event will be open to the public.
Student Healthcare Hero Contest: All healthcare and educational institutions are encouraged to nominate a student that has excelled in working or volunteering in the Healthcare Industry.
For more information on any of the events, visit the links below.
Each year, Governor Rendell dedicates one week in November as Health Careers Week in order to create an opportunity for students across the Commonwealth to learn about exciting careers in Healthcare!
Health Careers Week 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009: Health Care Career Fair was held at the Bucks County Community College, Newtown, Allied Health Building, 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM.
BC-WIB Announces Mini-Grant Opportunity to Career Education Partners
The BC-WIB completed a second round of mini-grant opportunities to conduct Career Awareness Activities to youth in Bucks County. The focus of the second round of mini-grants was for activities to promote careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM), and/or "green" careers. Mini-grants, not to exceed, $2500.00 were awarded on a rolling basis to the following recipients:
Bucks County Technical High School: "Going Green"
Centennial School District-William Tennant High School: AP Accounting Program
Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce: Youth Leadership Program
Neshaminy School District PASS Program: "Green Tours"
New Hope-Solebury Parent-Teachers Forum: SYSTEMS Student Internships
During Round 1, the BC-WIB awarded ten mini-grants to conduct Career Awareness activities to eight local school districts or agencies. The Career Awareness activities will take place in Bucks County during the spring and summer 2010.
Round 1: Awarded Mini-Grants include:
Bucks County Technical High School, Career Preparation Program
Centennial School District, Career & AP Accounting Education
Child, Home, & Community, Creative Careers Program
Foundation for Free Enterprise, PA Free Enterprise Week
Neshaminy School District, PASS Program Career Exploration Trips
Truman High School, Career Center
Truman High School, Parent Education
Upper Bucks County Technical School, "Career Cruisin" 1
Upper Bucks County Technical School, "Career Cruisin" 2
If you have a kid between the ages of 12 and 18, chances are pretty good they're spending hours online. Question is, what are they doing? Social Media for Parents: A webinar demystifying what your teens are doing online was held on April 27, 2010 from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Click on the link below to access information presented in the webinar.
An online Career Fair was held on May 4, 5, and 6, 2010. Participants were able to log into their computer and interact with people working in some of PA's most in-demand occupations. Participants learned what it takes to prepare for great jobs and got tips on interviewing, applying for college, and much more!
Visit the link to find out more information, view recorded webinar sessions, and access resources used for the Virtual Career Fair.
The Career Education Partnership sponsored a Summer Employment Fair on Thursday, April 1, 2010 from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Oxford Valley Mall in Langhorne, PA. Nine employers, along with recruitment for BC-WIB funded Summer Youth Employment Programs took place at the event. Over 200 youth attended the event!
On Monday, March 8, 2010, the PA CareerLink Bucks County and Youth Center sponsored an Education, Training, & Trade Fair. The education fair provided an opportunity for over 120 local youth, educators, and social service providers to learn about post-secondary educational programs from twenty-five educational institutions.
Career Pathways Project
The Bucks County WIB/Youth Council has partnered with Bristol Township School District on piloting a Career Pathways Project, which integrates Career Pathways into current course curriculum via the standard course selection guide.
Click on the links below to view the Course Selection Guide and Newspaper article.
The BC-WIB and its Career Education Partners dedicated the month of April 2009 to "Staying in School for Success." Local events included:
"Voices" Project
Past high school drop outs shared their experiences with students at Bristol Township School District Freshmen Academy, Levittown, PA on April 20, 2009.
Re-Engaging Disconnected Youth Symposium
The Bucks County Youth Council and Career Education Partnership Project hosted a Re-Engaging Disconnected Youth Symposium for Community and Faith Based Agencies on Friday, April 24, 2009 at Bucks County Technical High School, Fairless Hills, PA.
Featured Topics of Discussion include:
Defining Disconnected Youth
Economic Impacts of Dropping Out of High School
Local Initiatives to Re-Engage Disconnected Youth
How Community & Faith Based Agencies can Connect to the Workforce Development System
Students from Walt Disney & Oxford Valley Elementary Schools Learn About Renewable Energy
Through a partnership between the Bucks County Youth Council and Foundations
Community Partnership, fifth graders from Walt Disney and Oxford Valley Elementary Schools spent the day at Keystone Industrial Port Complext learning about Renewable Energy. The students participated in activities at Exelon Education Center, Gamesa Wind, and USS Real Estate. In addition, BC-WIB Staff and Board Members assisted the students in building thier own windmills!
Central Bucks High School East-Career Week
The Bucks County WIB in partnership with Central Bucks High School East coordinated a Career Week, March 9-13, 2009, to highlight careers in the following fields:
Law/Public Service/Government
Technical & Vocational Trades
Sciences/Healthcare/Pharmaceuticals
Visual & Performing Arts
Law Enforcement/Criminal & Forensic Investigation
Business/Financial Services
Education/Social Services
Engineering
Communications/Journalism
Architecture/Design
Over 30 employers and 550 students participated in the events!
The following resources have already been distributed to schools in Bucks County:
Occupational Trading Cards & Toolkits have been distributed to all 87 public elementary schools in Bucks County!
Career Gates DVDs have been distributed to 50 middle and high schools in Bucks County!
If your school has not received any of these exciting career development resources and you are interested in receiving them, contact Maranda Kapish at mkapish@bc-wib.org!
PA Career Guide 2009-2010
Whether you are a student, an educator, a first-time job seeker, a parent, or a person considering a career change, you will find the Career Guide a valuable tool as you make those all-important career choices.
Click here to download a copy of the PA Career Guide:
The PA Center for Workforce Information Analysis developed Occupational Trading Cards to be used during career awareness activities in 5th grade. There are nine sets of the OTCs; one set for each of the nine Targeted Industry Clusters in PA. For more information on the Targeted Industry Clusters go to www.paworkforce.state.pa.us. If you are interested in obtaining a set of the Occupational Trading Cards, please contact Maranda Kapish at mkapish@bc-wib.org.
Click here to download lesson plans for the Occupational Trading Cards:
