Clipboards in hand, eighth-graders navigated a crime scene marked in yellow tape, noticing blood spatter, a discarded purse, scattered debris and a discarded hockey mask. Down the hall, they learned about clinical lab technicians from professors and working medical technologists, peering into microscopes at bacteria, fungi and a smear of dried blood.
They explored the anatomy of a cat using Radiologic Technology’s Anatomage table, and learned both the basics of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and career opportunities in medical assisting under the guidance of SUNY Broome Professor Erin O’Hara-Leslie – including the play list for compressions: the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive.” Health Information Technology instructor Stephanie Albitz led a virtual gameshow demonstrating the importance of health information security – and teaching students to pronounce “extracorporeal lithotripsy,” the medical term for using shock waves to break kidney stones into smaller pieces.
Opportunities in sound engineering and video recording, complete with a recording setup. Learning how to pack a wound from paramedics. Virtual reality simulators that trained students how to use a forklift or drive a rig, a problem solving scenario connected with business information management, surveying, bricklaying, carpentry, network administration and more – if a job exists in the Southern Tier, SPARK covered it with an activity, table or interactive display.
Nearly 2,000 eighth-graders from across the Southern Tier attended the Jan. 22 career exploration event, intended to “spark” their interest in local jobs. SPARK is a collaboration between the Greater Binghamton Education Outreach Program, SUNY Broome, Broome-Tioga BOCES, Broome-Tioga Workforce, the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce and The Agency; industry sponsors included IBM, Lourdes Ascension, UHS and The Raymond Corporation.
“There are many good jobs available in this community, waiting to be filled. That’s true today and that will be undoubtedly true in the future, as Baby Boomers continue to retire by the thousands,” said SUNY Broome President Kevin E. Drumm. “That’s where the education-to-career pipeline comes in. Like most pipelines, it provides the fuel that our economy runs on. We need people.”
Learn about workforce development at SUNY Broome.
The workforce of tomorrow
In 2017, The Agency created the Broome Talent Task Force to tackle workforce strategies in the region – especially how to retain and attract talent, explained Stacey Duncan, executive director of The Agency and president and CEO of the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce. The task force unearthed the need to reach students at a younger age, she said.
“Eighth grade is a pivotal year for students to learn about careers,” she said. “According to one statistic I’ve read, all of the people we need to hire over the next 25 years are currently born.”
Karen Roeske, chief nursing office at Lourdes Ascension, agreed about the importance of early outreach. “We know that we need to spark the interest of students way earlier than we have in the past and keep them engaged,” she said.
Earn college credits in high school through our Fast Forward program!
Representatives from numerous area employers attended SPARK, representing opportunities in business, healthcare, the humanities, STEM, the trades and warehousing.
“There are great jobs for students, whether they want to go on to college or not to go on to college, in this county,” said Peter Newman, regional president of M&T Bank.
Activities spanned much of campus, including the Calice Advanced Manufacturing Center, the Decker Health Science Center, the Applied Technology Building, the Business Building and the Natural Science Center, as well as a heavy equipment display between Applied Technology and Decker. SUNY Broome students also volunteered their time and skills, from traffic control conducted by Criminal Justice students, to Physical Therapist Assistant students leading exercises and Engineering Science students demonstrating their microprocessor projects.
Organizers intend the event to become an annual one.
“I look at this as a totally different way to do career searching,” said Matt Sheehan, director of Career and Technical Education at Broome-Tioga BOCES.
Participating employers and agencies included: ACHIEVE; AM&T; BAE Systems; the Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park; Brick Layers (BAC #3); the Broome County Bar Association; the Broome County Sheriff’s Office; Buckingham Manufacturing; the Central New York Area Health Education Center; Chenango Valley Technologies; Delta Engineers, Architects & Land Surveyors, DPC; the Dicks Sporting Goods Conklin Distribution Center; Doron Precision; EBI Career College; Enhance VR; HCA; IBEW Local Union 325 Electrical Workers; ICS; the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, District Council 4, Painters, Bridge Painters, Drywall Tapers and Glaziers Union; Lourdes Ascension; Lockheed Martin; M&T Bank; Mirabito; the New England Regional Council of Carpenters Labor Management Program; the New York State Department of Labor; Orthodontics of the Southern Tier; The Raymond Corporation; Samscreen; Siemens; Smith Site Development; South Central Regional Information Center/Broome Tioga BOCES; Southern Tier 8; TamCo; Tier Energy Network; Tioga Downs Casino Resort; UHS; Visions Hotels; Visions Federal Credit Union; and Willow Run Foods.
