Latest / Mind Your Business - A Podcast Series produced by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce / Professional Development Experiences That Unlock Tomorrow's Workforce through App State Works

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Professional Development Experiences That Unlock Tomorrow's Workforce through App State Works · Mind Your Business - A Podcast Series produced by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce

• 0:02
  SPEAKER_03: Creating professional development pathways that combine experiential learning with career exploration.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER_03: This trend continues in our area and your business can benefit.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_03: From the Moon Area Chamber of Commerce, this is Mind Your Business.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_02: Mind Your Business.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_02: Brought to you by Appalachian Commercial Real Estate, providing professional commercial real estate services.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_02: Visit Appalachian CRE.com.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_03: Hello and welcome into Mind Your Business.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_03: I'm David Jackson, President and CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_03: Thanks for joining us once again this week, whether that is through the airwaves of WATA here in Boone or as a subscriber of the podcast version of this program, which of course is made possible each week by our good friends at Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_03: If you have yet to subscribe to the show, that's not an issue.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_03: Just search for Mind Your Business wherever you get your podcast.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_03: You can gain access to full archives, occasional bonus content, extended episodes, and plenty more as we connect you with the business news that you can use from right here in the mountains of Western North Carolina.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_03: Beautiful fall colors remain here in the high country for another week.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_03: It's almost like a bonus week, and yes, people are still here.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_03: Weather trends over the weekend may soon set us in a direction that feels a bit more like winter.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_03: So hike that trail while you can.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_03: And as Sam Cook famously saying, a change is gonna come.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_03: One thing that won't change this community's demand for workforce, especially during these seasonal swings when businesses try to pick the right times to staff up to meet the demands that travelers bring.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_03: For our service and hospitality industries, that calculus has been a bit tougher to quantify this year because travel patterns have not been consistent.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_03: Even this week, usually by now, the rush of peak traffic is winding down and businesses adjust appropriately.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_03: Drive around, though, you'll see that's not the case just yet.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_03: Hopefully, profits are keeping up with the need for staff.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_03: Time will tell as we examine October performance here in just a few weeks.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_03: Not all businesses fall into the category of demand-based need, but some still see churn, created in part by a workforce that is a bit more likely to bounce early than some prior generations.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_03: What I mean by that, you get trained, you get a job, you see it's not for you, and you are off to the next experience.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_03: And that's fine, and to some degree that's expected, especially when it comes to part-time employment.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_03: But when you've racked up college debt or had a business invest in training and professional development, only to come to that same conclusion, the impact of that is a bit more complicated and frustrating for all involved.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_03: Education partners have been much more deliberate in creating experiential learning opportunities to ensure the future workforce has a chance to examine conditions from within before they commit to a career path.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_03: I'm in my late forties, our generation did this through internships mostly, but they were traditionally later in the timeline of academic pursuit.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_03: So if you were, say, a junior in college and had a summer internship, it was great to see if the experience matched your career expectation.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_03: And if it wasn't a perfect fit, there was precious little time to make a change.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_03: Today that timeline sees students getting a chance to glance at their future working selves much earlier and in a much more polished way.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_03: Governor Josh Stein, the North Carolina General Assembly, the Departments of Commerce and Labor, the Community College system, the UNC system, and I'm sure a few others have been prioritizing apprenticeships and earlier internships as a way to get that early look at career pathways.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_03: Rise Caldwell Watauga gives the opportunity for career exploration and immersion to high school students through a paid apprenticeship experience that actually teaches the expectations of showing up for work.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_03: Another such program that matches local businesses with a curious and able workforce is the subject of this week's Mind Your Business.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_03: We'll visit with Amy Odom, Director of Business Career Services for the Walker College of Business at Appalachian State, and talk about Abstate Works, a year-round professional development program for students to gain a mixture of professional skills and on-the-job opportunity with regional employers here in the high country.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_03: We'll hear the details on how all of this came together and how interested businesses around the region can participate.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_03: As you can hear, we've got a lot to cover once again this week, so stick around.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_03: You are listening to mind your business.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_02: Appalachian Commercial Real Estate provides professional commercial real estate services in the Boone area.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_02: They provide sales, leasing, consulting, and appraisal services to owners and users of commercial real estate.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_02: For more information, go to their website at Appalachian CRE.com.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_03: Welcome back to Mind Your Business.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_03: I'm David Jackson.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_03: Before we talk about the opportunity for students to see inside the ropes of their career path of choice, let us talk about a local real estate professional that will gladly sing the song of his industry, all while helping you find your next great commercial landing spot.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_03: That's James Milner, an Appalachian commercial real estate.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_03: They solve simple and complex commercial real estate problems in and around the Boone area and beyond.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_03: Whether you own or lease commercial real estate, regardless of the property type, have an advocate on your side, along with the expertise and experience to assist you and your business.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_03: For more information, you can check them out on the web at Appalachian CRE.com.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_03: For those of you listening that have a job, better yet those that have a career, think about how you got there or what convinced you that your chosen path was correct.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_03: Now hold that thought and let me give you a few numbers.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_03: Several studies concur that the average person goes through three to seven career changes in their lifetime, and the typical American worker will hold about twelve jobs in their lifetime.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_03: Now, of course, job changes are within the same general career area, and career change is defined as changing the scope of your work entirely.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_03: So for me, that's two careers and six jobs in my lifetime.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, now back to the question.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_03: What got you started?
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_03: Because you had to start somewhere, and the beginning of that journey is where you place the Plinko chip on the board and begin the pathway that you call work today.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_03: It could have been a supportive supervisor that encouraged you to consider a job as more of a career.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_03: For some of us, it was an immediate detour, right?
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_03: Just the realization that some jobs are just meant to be a paycheck, a means to an end until the right thing comes along.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_03: Thankfully, the world of education is a bit more sophisticated these days, moving on from that Plinko job placement idea to something a little bit more experiential.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_03: Amy Odom works as the director of business career services in App State's Walker College of Business.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_03: And first things first, what number career is this for her?
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: I've had two different careers.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_00: Um and actually my and my undergrad is nothing to do with either of the careers that I ever had.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: So painting and ceramics uh were my undergrad.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_00: Um clearly not doing anything in that space, although I still try to be creative.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but the first uh first career was more on the event planning side of things.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_00: Uh so we know that one of the main hospitality or one of the main uh industries in Boone is hospitality, and I wanted to stay in Boone after I graduated.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_00: So that is where I gravitated first um in that hospitality and event planning space and then transitioned to higher education at Appalachian State University and have been there for the last 15 years.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_00: So number of jobs, um, I think I've had about six.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_03: Gotcha.
• 8:01
  SPEAKER_00: And I love to tell the story of that job progression, that career progression to students when we're talking about networking and the value of networking, because every single one of those jobs that I got, I never applied to through a portal.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_00: It was always through relationships and people that I met in the community.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_03: So yeah, it's an excellent, excellent point to make and and kind of you know, a side question to this.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_03: Uh when when you first saw your progression taking you kind of to where you are now, was it, you know, again networking that, but was it like the the supportive voice that said, hey, you know, you ought to consider doing this, or was it a little bit more deliberate than that?
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_03: Like, hey, I've got a job for you, you should come and apply for that.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: It was it was always during interactions where I was doing maybe a different job.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_00: So, for example, a a job that I had in college, um, I waited tables at sunrise.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and it was fast and quick paced, and I loved it, and you met all kinds of people.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_00: I met a business owner.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so while I was working that job, and he was like, Hey, you want to come work for me?
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_00: And so it was after spending time with people and developing those relationships, even if they were just short stints um or or longer, um, those opportunities would present themselves.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_00: And so it was it was never an intentional uh transaction for me.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_00: It was oftentimes by happenstance.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but I started putting myself in those spaces over and over again, knowing that that would be the result.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_03: So I love the fact that Sunrise Grill is like the the career portal uh to the high country.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_03: Who needs indeed when you've got sunrise grill?
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_03: Exactly.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_03: Um, well, a lot of what you've you've just described is is part of what is the the guts behind AppState Works.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_03: So tell us a little bit about what the program consists of.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_00: Sure.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_00: Um AppState Works is a workforce and experiential learning um initiative that is designed to provide professional opportunities to our current college students and not just business majors, but campus-wide, um, trying to increase the number of professional opportunities that they have right here in their hometown.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_00: Um, in addition, we want to try to provide opportunities for local employers to really build out their pipelines and to help with the current workforce development issues that we have here.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I know there's been a lot of conversation around apprenticeships and internships at various levels of state government, all the way down into the nooks and crannies of higher ed and different education partners.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_03: What is it about this program that makes AppState Works a little bit different than what may have been spun up in years past, even on campus for that matter?
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_00: Sure.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_00: Um, AppState Works, one piece that I'm really excited about is that is this is gonna go far beyond a traditional internship experience.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_00: These students will be placed in a cohort style program where there'll be several of them and several employee employers together.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and it's gonna be a work-based learning experience where our teams and career services will be providing them with professional development opportunities.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_00: So workshops based on leadership, communication skills, uh, workplace practices, and general career readiness.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_00: So we're hoping to layer that on top of their internship experience while it's happening at the same time.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_00: In addition to that, we want to really immerse them in our community.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_00: So we're going to involve them in um community service projects so they can be exposed to the many wonderful local nonprofits that we have in our area, cultural experiences, um, and plenty of networking opportunities that they can meet with several employers in our area, um, but also gain access and between their peers and go through that process together.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_03: Interesting that that this comes at a time where I think efficiency in higher education is probably at its all-time most important piece.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_03: You know, you've got rising costs of education mixed with kids that want to get through and get onto the career path.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_03: Is that part of why programs like this to help bring all this stuff together are so important right now?
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_03: We hear so much about them.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, 100%.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_00: I think everyone is looking for the ROI of their education and what is happening next.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that students totally understand that it's not just about the degree today.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_00: Um, it is way, way more than that.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_00: And for our employers as well, they are looking to build this pipeline.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but research shows um based on the National Association of Colleges and Employers, that's NACE for short.
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_00: Um, that is an organization that we fall back on for statistics and support in career readiness areas.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_00: Um but they show that when students have experiential learning opportunities, professional opportunities like this, in 2024, 62% of the students that did those internships received full-time offers.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_00: And across the board, they're receiving higher salary offers and just general more satisfaction about the careers that they're lending because of these opportunities.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_00: So it it's not just the degree now, it's the professional opportunities, getting the hands-on experience with these employers that is making the difference.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_00: That's building stronger resumes, it's giving the students more confidence and overall just general career satisfaction.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_03: You know, uh we were talking earlier about career paths and and our own journeys professionally, but you know, you go back to the point in time where I remember leaving high school, going to college, being in college, it was all about go get an internship.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_03: Just go see what it's like, and then that will be it.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_03: But that was so late in the academic calendar that by the end of your junior year, if you went and had a bad internship experience, it was like, okay, well, uh, four years just became six.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_03: You know, so uh is is this program designed to kind of help iron out some of those those things that that may show up as blips or at least identify them earlier so um a student can see, hey, this is the actual field I'm going into, maybe as a sophomore instead of so late in the academic career where there's less time to turn the car, so to speak.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, we we want we want them to be thinking those wheels to be turning freshman, sophomore, and junior year.
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_00: We would love them to have multiple internship opportunities before they graduate.
• 14:52
  SPEAKER_00: Also understanding that internships, it's a two-way street.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_00: So this is an extended interview process for an employer, but it's also an interview process for these students to realize, uh-oh, I don't want to do that for the rest of my life.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_00: I did it for three months, that was great.
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_00: Moving on, let's find a different career path.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_00: It is way better to figure that out in your sophomore or junior year than to graduate, get the degree, and be stuck as an accountant or a manager or whatever it is that you realize that was not my fit because I I didn't take the opportunity to practice.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_03: Well, and and I wonder if, you know, we we all hope that kid goes through Abstate Works and and they get that perfect alignment.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_03: But for the ones that maybe do find, hey, this was not for me, thought it was cool, but maybe not.
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_03: Um, how does a program like AbState Works help give them the redirect to make sure that, all right, well, if it wasn't this, let's let's try to get down the road towards something that is attainable or exciting?
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_00: Definitely.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_00: So I think it's the additional networking opportunities that we're gonna provide to them, to the host of employers across a variety of industries that we want to have present within uh this program.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_00: Um so that way, first of all, they're getting the practice, right?
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_00: The more practice we have, the easier it is to strike up those conversations.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_00: But also it's awareness, it's engaging and learning about these different industries where you're like, huh, that wasn't an option for me or anything that I thought before.
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_00: But now I've met this person, they're warm, they're friendly, they're giving me some basic information.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_00: Um, it opens the doors to have those conversations and it gives them more options that um and and I have this conversation with students all the time in coaching appointments.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_00: They get so locked into I'm a finance major, I have to go work for a bank.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_00: No, a bank has so many different lines of business that they could access while they're there, and a bank wants you to be with their company for 20 years and maybe you have 10 different jobs.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, but they could be in marketing, they could be in human resources, or they could be the bean counter, right?
• 17:04
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so it's it's exposing students to understand that they're they are not locked in to one thing for the rest of their life.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_00: And I think they all have that fear that I'm gonna have to be an accountant for the rest of my life.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_00: And no, the the sky's the limit.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that I have a great example of that of having two careers um during my time and in so many different jobs.
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_03: More with Amy Odom as we discuss App State Works right after this.
• 17:32
  SPEAKER_03: You are listening to MindYour Business.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_02: Appalachian Commercial Real Estate provides professional commercial real estate services in the Boone area.
• 17:39
  SPEAKER_02: They provide sales, leasing, consulting, and appraisal services to owners and users of commercial real estate.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_02: For more information, go to their website at Appalachian CRE.com.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_03: Welcome back to Mind Your Business.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_03: I'm David Jackson.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_03: We continue our conversation with Amy Odom as we discuss AppState Works.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_03: Let's talk AppState Works from the employer's perspective a bit.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_03: What is the benefit to uh, especially a local employer, being able to partner with the university in a program like this?
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_00: Definitely.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_00: So I think it goes well beyond recruiting.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_00: Um it it extends beyond that.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_00: And these employers are going to be a part of an amazing network.
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_00: So in our first year, we want to launch with 10 companies.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_00: I would hope that in year two, year three, year four, that we're up to 50 companies.
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so that is that's a lot of leadership that they would have access to right here in our hometown.
• 18:36
  SPEAKER_00: So these interactions, this program that I'm designing, it's for the benefit of the students, but we want to incorporate the employers so they get a little extra out of it as well.
• 18:47
  SPEAKER_00: So they're going to be able to come to our workshop sessions, um our leadership development programs uh that we'll be offering, and then just the general benefits of networking with the peers in the community.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_03: When you you talk about businesses, I think a lot of people will think, hey, you know, I'm I'm a two-person shop.
• 19:07
  SPEAKER_03: I I probably don't have the bandwidth for this kind of thing.
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_03: Is there a size limitation or specific industries that you're really trying to make sure that you're focusing on?
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_00: Definitely.
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_00: No, we we welcome all sizes, all shapes.
• 19:19
  SPEAKER_00: Um, we do have some industries that we would love uh love to welcome that align with the North Carolina Chamber and the and and also the industries that we have um within our area.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_00: So, and not just limited to business.
• 19:33
  SPEAKER_00: So we're we're partnering with our Central Career Development Center on campus to make sure that we are covering all of our bases.
• 19:40
  SPEAKER_00: Um, manufacturing will be included in that, supply chain and logistics, healthcare administration, marketing and sales, financial services, human resources, um, technology, uh, and of course our valued nonprofits.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_00: And so it it won't just be the business side.
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_00: We we want it all accounted for and in all sizes.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_03: So when you you look up from now, I know you talked about progression in terms of number of businesses uh around.
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_03: If you looked up three to five years from now, what what do you feel like you would like to see this program look like?
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_03: What are what are your goals for for the entire the entire thing?
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_00: So I would love to have at least 50 companies, and we can't do that just within Boone.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_00: We're aware we're we're a small town here and we we love we love our size.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_00: Um but with the addition of our Hickory campus, I think that we're able to expand into Catawba and Caldwell counties and partner with the employers, um, some that may be on a larger scale that can take on volume.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_00: And if you design an internship for one person, you can scale that for five or ten.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_00: Um, as long as you know you've got the the resources that you need to supervise that.
• 20:50
  SPEAKER_00: Our team in career services can help you build that.
• 20:53
  SPEAKER_00: And so if you don't have an internship program and you don't know where to start, we have resources, we have workshops, we have a team of people that can help provide you structure and ideas.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe it's a rotational-based program where it's not just one person that's having to supervise the student and give them all the tasks that need to be done.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe they're rotating from accounting to HR to um to the logistics side.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so that way they learn all about the company and all those different areas, and it's not just one person that has to manage the responsibility of making sure they have a quality experience.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_03: You know, when I was on campus back in the late 90s, um, to date myself here a little bit, uh, the the push was to take that internship experience off the mountain.
• 21:41
  SPEAKER_03: You know, whether that's where you're going home for the summer or you find somewhere that you have to kind of immerse yourself in a new community, and it was always about being away from here.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_03: But this is very targeted toward the local community of Western North Carolina as a whole.
• 21:53
  SPEAKER_03: What's the benefit of that?
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_00: Um so there's a really good reason um why while we are trying to bring these opportunities to Western North Carolina.
• 22:01
  SPEAKER_00: So currently about 52% of our business students do one or more internships before they graduate.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_00: And a lot of people are like, wow, that's amazing.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_00: First of all, I want that to be 100%.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_00: Every single student student should have some type of professional experience before they leave.
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_00: However, the 52% that do it, typically they're going to metropolitan areas to find those opportunities.
• 22:23
  SPEAKER_00: Um the the volume of those uh opportunities are gonna be in Charlotte, the triad, or the triangle.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_00: And so they're looking in those spaces.
• 22:34
  SPEAKER_00: Um it's it's not equitable though.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_00: It's very, very expensive.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_00: So we know how much rent costs in Boone.
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_00: So these students are are housed here, paying for the rent here, finding an internship in Charlotte, and having to pay for housing there as well.
• 22:48
  SPEAKER_00: That is not feasible to pay for two living arrangements uh for any family.
• 22:54
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, the thought of having to pay for one at this point, right?
• 22:57
  SPEAKER_03: That's right.
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_03: That's right.
• 22:59
  SPEAKER_00: And so that's why we we wanna we wanna break down that financial barrier for our students.
• 23:04
  SPEAKER_00: Um, because if they can't go home and live with mom and dad to do this internship, if they can't find affordable housing, they're opting out of doing the internship at all.
• 23:14
  SPEAKER_00: And so what better way but to provide those opportunities here where they're already paying rent and we can we can remove that barrier.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_03: And you get the benefit of a high country summer.
• 23:23
  SPEAKER_03: That's what gets you hooked on places like this for sure.
• 23:26
  SPEAKER_03: Um this program's got a lot of pieces to it.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_03: I would imagine there are an equal number of partners who have helped make this happen.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, how did AppState Works get started from that perspective?
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_00: Definitely.
• 23:38
  SPEAKER_00: So we are super excited to collaborate with, and it's gonna take a village um to make this kind of program happen.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_00: And so I did already mention um the Central Career Development Center.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_00: So if folks don't know, um we are unique um on our campus in that we have a Central Career Development Center that supports all 20,000 students at App State.
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_00: So that's all the majors and all the industries that that correlate.
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_00: Um, because we're the largest college of business in the UNC system currently with almost over 5,000 students, we need our own team uh of career services uh in the college of business.
• 24:15
  SPEAKER_00: And so our two areas partner frequently on programs.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_00: We're working towards the same goals, trying to support the same students.
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so it makes sense for us to do that together.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_00: And so we are heavily partnering with Jennifer and her team in the Central Career Development Center to make sure that all of the industries and all of the academic disciplines are covered.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_00: In addition to that, we've got some really fantastic partners in our community.
• 24:41
  SPEAKER_00: Our friends here in the Boon Area Chamber of Commerce are gonna be one very vital uh partner.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_00: Imagine that.
• 24:47
  SPEAKER_00: Imagine that.
• 24:48
  SPEAKER_00: We've had some fantastic conversations um and support with our Caldwell and Catawa Chambers as well.
• 24:55
  SPEAKER_00: And then it's it's gonna take alumni, community leaders, business owners.
• 25:01
  SPEAKER_00: So there will be plenty of people that have their hands uh involved in this project to make it work.
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_03: So, you know, business may hear about this program that opens the door to thinking, well, hey, maybe App State works is something we can build toward, but what are other ways that we can get engaged and have those student interactions?
• 25:19
  SPEAKER_03: And I I feel like that kind of ebbs and flows with time.
• 25:21
  SPEAKER_03: You get an alum that's got a business that's really dialed into that, then maybe the person that opens up next to them doesn't know about the power of AppState yet, so it takes a minute.
• 25:29
  SPEAKER_03: But what are some of those other opportunities for immersion?
• 25:31
  SPEAKER_00: Definitely.
• 25:32
  SPEAKER_00: So we actually have an event happening next week called Walker Internship Expo.
• 25:38
  SPEAKER_00: And we are targeting the local companies that we want to be a part of AppState Works to come.
• 25:44
  SPEAKER_00: This is gonna be a recruiting event where they can set a table, um, provide information directly to students about the internships or roles that they are actively hiring for.
• 25:55
  SPEAKER_00: Our students are gonna come prepared with their resumes and their elevator pitches to talk about why they're great fit for your internship or your job.
• 26:03
  SPEAKER_00: And so that is next week on Tuesday, November 3rd.
• 26:07
  SPEAKER_00: Um, it'll be in Peacock Hall with all of the lovely construction.
• 26:11
  SPEAKER_00: Uh don't worry, there'll be plenty of parking because the event is from 5 to 7 p.m.
• 26:16
  SPEAKER_00: So we want folks to be able to close up shop that day, our students to get out of their classes and have two hours to engage with one another to figure this out.
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_03: Wonderful.
• 26:25
  SPEAKER_03: Well, if there's a business that might not be able to attend that event, but they're interested in AppState works in general, how can they get connected?
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 26:33
  SPEAKER_00: So they can direct directly contact me.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_00: So my email is odumah one at appstate.edu, or they can go to our website and that's businesscareers at app at dot appstate.edu.
• 26:47
  SPEAKER_00: Um so those are two great ways that they can get more resource, more information, and figure out contact information for me.
• 26:53
  SPEAKER_03: And then uh kind of in a in a broader sense, you know, there are constantly evolving workforce development efforts that are going on around this region.
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_03: We just got another dose of that through the uh economic recovery plan that the the state just put out for Western North Carolina, and and you see emphasis on things like healthcare careers, you mentioned that earlier, but life sciences, tourism, all those types of things.
• 27:16
  SPEAKER_03: How does this program measure the industries that are are in need and and how will you continue to do that as as time moves on and needs change as Helene recovery continues and Lord knows what we get into next around here?
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_00: Um I mean, I think direct involvement with our chambers um certainly informs uh what what's happening here in our local community and uh and of course on the the the statewide uh level, um our uh National Association of Colleges and Employers and then our business advisory council um within the college of business.
• 27:51
  SPEAKER_00: So we have a team of industry professionals um that we bring to campus several times a year that helps inform us of what's happening in industry, how do our students need to be prepared, how are they not prepared?
• 28:03
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and that's also our current employers.
• 28:06
  SPEAKER_00: They are the first ones to tell us, hey, the students are falling short, or this is happening in the pipeline, this is coming up next.
• 28:13
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so we have a lot of different partners that we uh try to help us keep informed so our students are ready for the next thing that's happening.
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_03: Well, I have to let you close by getting a plug-in for Women of Walker because I know that's an area that that we've interfaced many, many times before, but there's so many interesting parallels to this, and I wonder how much of Women of Walker and that professional development, listening to what what needs to be brought in inspired this.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_03: There there feels like there's a little DNA of Women and Walker inside this.
• 28:42
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 28:42
  SPEAKER_00: So we um that that was several years in the making.
• 28:46
  SPEAKER_00: Uh Women of Walker is a professional development program uh for students in the College of Business, uh, many first generation that may not have some of those basic professional skills that employers are requiring that they have uh when they when they're hiring for these positions.
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_00: And so we ever since 2014, we have put over 400 students um through that program partnering with employers to help support that program piece.
• 29:18
  SPEAKER_00: So I want to be the cool aunt and not the naggie mom, right?
• 29:23
  SPEAKER_00: And so if I'm the one coming in presenting this information all the time, they're gonna be like, I'm tired of hearing from you, Amy, you know.
• 29:29
  SPEAKER_00: But if we can bring industry professionals in from different industries and show these students directly, see, touch and feel, right?
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_00: Um, what these industries are about, maybe the the hardships that these women or uh industry professionals have experienced along the way, it gives them something tangible um to hold on to, to work towards, and it gives them the confidence to keep um making these connections, understanding the value of networking and to start practicing building that now.
• 30:06
  SPEAKER_00: So the more opportunities we can put in front of our students to where they can practice, it becomes second nature.
• 30:13
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and then it's not them nervous in the corner, um worried about making a jerk of themselves and not saying the right thing.
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_00: Um, they feel confident about making those connections, maintaining those networks moving forward.
• 30:28
  SPEAKER_00: Um, because like I said, we started in the beginning of this conversation.
• 30:32
  SPEAKER_00: Every job that I've gotten has been through relationships, been through the connections, the conversations that I've had.
• 30:39
  SPEAKER_00: So we want that's gold standard for the College of Business is to bring business to campus as often as possible.
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_00: Um, to to allow students to practice in person, to see touch and feel what business is all about.
• 30:55
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and so then it's second nature.
• 30:57
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and it's not a challenge for them to move forward and make these connections.
• 31:01
  SPEAKER_03: Well, congratulations on on so many students coming through that program.
• 31:04
  SPEAKER_03: That that's truly amazing.
• 31:06
  SPEAKER_03: And what is also I I think a major part to that is that you've had so many repeat mentors over the years.
• 31:11
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, and and people that get excited about the time for that process to start.
• 31:15
  SPEAKER_03: Um, for for mentor recruitment.
• 31:18
  SPEAKER_03: What does that look like?
• 31:19
  SPEAKER_03: And if somebody was interested in maybe hearing more about that, how can they get involved?
• 31:23
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 31:23
  SPEAKER_00: So we did we added the mentoring component um a few years ago.
• 31:26
  SPEAKER_00: This might be our fourth year with the mentor component where we're partnering our Watago women in leadership and also members from the chamber, business owners from the community, pairing them with these students to learn directly.
• 31:42
  SPEAKER_00: And so we are launching that application.
• 31:45
  SPEAKER_00: So first we offer it to our returning mentors.
• 31:48
  SPEAKER_00: We give them first right of refusal to take on that responsibility for another program.
• 31:53
  SPEAKER_00: And so typically we have about half that want to stay and do it again.
• 31:57
  SPEAKER_00: And so uh we almost always have 30 students uh in the program.
• 32:02
  SPEAKER_00: So we'll need at least 30 mentors to match with them.
• 32:07
  SPEAKER_00: And so that application should be live next week after I know how many mentors are returning for the upcoming year.
• 32:13
  SPEAKER_00: And that recruitment process will go through the end of the year, and we will start with the program with the students in January, and then that runs until early the beginning of May.
• 32:24
  SPEAKER_00: Um, we can't do it beyond the semester.
• 32:27
  SPEAKER_00: So um basically, once that semester is over, that segment of the program is over.
• 32:32
  SPEAKER_03: Gotcha.
• 32:32
  SPEAKER_03: Um last question for you, and and uh appreciate all this information, and and I know that people are listening and thinking there's a way for me to plug in here, there's a way for me to plug in here, and it can get overwhelming.
• 32:42
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, you've worked with enough businesses in this community that have partnered with the university for anybody that feels like there's a barrier of entry or just a little bit uh uh intimidated by where do I start?
• 32:53
  SPEAKER_03: What would be your advice to them in in in terms of matching their business up with these programs or other things?
• 32:58
  SPEAKER_00: Definitely.
• 32:59
  SPEAKER_00: So our website is a fantastic resource.
• 33:02
  SPEAKER_00: It is a place to complete an action, it is not stagnant information.
• 33:06
  SPEAKER_00: We want you to go there and we have all of the ways that you can get involved.
• 33:11
  SPEAKER_00: We have an amazing employer relations manager on our team.
• 33:15
  SPEAKER_00: Her name is Jackie Garner, and it is her job to know where these employers want a vacation, what their dogs' names are, what they like to do in their spare time.
• 33:25
  SPEAKER_00: She's there to get to know the employer, the needs of their business, and then we are the matchmakers in career services.
• 33:32
  SPEAKER_00: We get to know the students, our coaches meet with them one-on-one, learn what their goals are, where they want to go next, and then we can matchmake and put those two pieces together.
• 33:42
  SPEAKER_00: So Jackie Garner is a great resource, our website is a great resource, and anyone is available to call or email me directly anytime, and I'm happy to provide what they need to get plugged in with our students.
• 33:53
  SPEAKER_03: Well, uh, we can't thank you enough for keeping us plugged into all of these efforts.
• 33:58
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know, your your seat on the board of directors is a very active one here.
• 34:02
  SPEAKER_03: Uh but uh but we we look forward to uh to hearing more about the evolution of AppState Works and and uh continuing to connect businesses with all of the different programs that the university has to offer.
• 34:12
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for having me.
• 34:13
  SPEAKER_03: Thanks to Amy for taking the time to discuss AppState Works, another tool in helping our next generation of workforce just have a better idea about what they're getting into.
• 34:22
  SPEAKER_03: I think that's what's amazing about this community.
• 34:25
  SPEAKER_03: The pipeline for such exploration here is rather deep, considering a rural status.
• 34:31
  SPEAKER_03: Think about this for a second.
• 34:32
  SPEAKER_03: You could be a middle school student in a CTE course that gets you excited about, let's say, a career in healthcare.
• 34:38
  SPEAKER_03: That could lead to dual enrollment college credit-earning classes at Watauga High School, where there you could become part of Rise Caldwell Watauga and receive a paid apprenticeship at Watauga Medical Center while you were in high school.
• 34:51
  SPEAKER_03: Then let's say you head to Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute, complete that associate's degree, and head to AppState to turn that into a four-year degree.
• 35:00
  SPEAKER_03: There, AppState Works will be able to offer continued professional development and another paid opportunity to work within the field, all of this before you think about the first step of the true career pathway.
• 35:12
  SPEAKER_03: That's a ton of experience on a resume for someone just starting out.
• 35:17
  SPEAKER_03: And if you make it to the end of that path and into a healthcare career, there should be zero surprises about what you're getting into.
• 35:25
  SPEAKER_03: All of that exploration can occur right inside the boundaries of Watauga County.
• 35:30
  SPEAKER_03: Pretty cool place we live, right?
• 35:32
  SPEAKER_03: You are listening to mind your business.
• 35:36
  SPEAKER_01: Are you a young professional looking to expand your network?
• 35:39
  SPEAKER_01: The High Country Young Professionals affectionately dubbed the High Country Young Pros, is a dedicated group of 200 plus professional young adults under the age of 40 serving in various industries across the high country.
• 35:51
  SPEAKER_01: Join us for a casual networking event on the first Tuesday of each month from 5 to 7 p.m.
• 35:57
  SPEAKER_01: As we visit locations across the high country.
• 35:59
  SPEAKER_01: Events are free of charge.
• 36:01
  SPEAKER_01: However, donations are appreciated.
• 36:03
  SPEAKER_01: Not a chamber member?
• 36:04
  SPEAKER_01: That's okay.
• 36:05
  SPEAKER_01: No membership needed to join us.
• 36:07
  SPEAKER_01: You just have to be under 40.
• 36:09
  SPEAKER_01: Learn more about high country GoPros at foodchamber.com slash H C YP.
• 36:18
  SPEAKER_02: Mind your business.
• 36:20
  SPEAKER_02: Brought to you by Appalachian Commercial Real Estate, offering sales, leasing, consulting, and appraisal services.
• 36:26
  SPEAKER_02: Visit Appalachian CRE.com.
• 36:30
  SPEAKER_03: By the time we bring you a new episode of the show, November will be here, and somewhere a high country family is starting to think about cooking Thanksgiving dinner, getting hungry just thinking about all of this.
• 36:42
  SPEAKER_03: That means that holiday shopping season is also just around the corner.
• 36:46
  SPEAKER_03: Make sure you check out the Chambers Holiday Shop Local campaign for 2026.
• 36:51
  SPEAKER_03: This year's package is intended for retail, restaurant, and experience-based businesses with a holiday gift, product, or experience to promote.
• 36:59
  SPEAKER_03: For$325, your package includes a featured spot in the Holiday Shop Local email, which is sent out to over 3,800 contacts within the Boon Area Chamber of Commerce network, two posts on our Facebook and Instagram accounts with a combined 26,000 followers there, a collaborative photo post, and you're featured in a weekly reel with the Boone Area Chamber staff pairing participating businesses together to celebrate local shopping and encourage community connection.
• 37:27
  SPEAKER_03: We also have placement on the Holiday Shop Local page on the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce website.
• 37:32
  SPEAKER_03: Mention on Mind Your Business.
• 37:34
  SPEAKER_03: You could be right here.
• 37:35
  SPEAKER_03: We'll start doing those weekly as we move into later November.
• 37:40
  SPEAKER_03: And that, of course, is heard on WATA Radio and other streaming platforms.
• 37:45
  SPEAKER_03: A couple of new features for this year.
• 37:47
  SPEAKER_03: Our holiday shop local list will be featured in a digital ad with the Mountain Times, and those participating businesses can get a discount for High Country Radio's Santa's hitting the highway campaign.
• 38:00
  SPEAKER_03: So consider those things as you consider whether or not your business might match up for the holiday shop local advertising package this year.
• 38:08
  SPEAKER_03: Now there's also another new feature that has nothing to do with the holiday shop local advertising package.
• 38:12
  SPEAKER_03: This is just for chamber members.
• 38:14
  SPEAKER_03: Your business can wear the cheer all season with a holiday shop local t-shirt.
• 38:19
  SPEAKER_03: Again, that's available to chamber member businesses in two colors Royal Pie and Green or Stonewash Denim.
• 38:26
  SPEAKER_03: Those t-shirts are$20 a piece, and they are meant for businesses to outfit your staff in the type of gear that will remind customers to shop local every time they walk through your door.
• 38:38
  SPEAKER_03: This is an easy way to spice up the staff swag for the holidays and encourage people to catch the spirit of spending their dollars in a way that benefits local businesses.
• 38:47
  SPEAKER_03: The presale for those shirts ends Friday, November 6th.
• 38:51
  SPEAKER_03: Orders will be ready for pickup beginning Wednesday, November 18th between 10 a.m.
• 38:55
  SPEAKER_03: and 3 p.m.
• 38:56
  SPEAKER_03: at the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce office here in Boone on Greenway Road.
• 39:00
  SPEAKER_03: Special thanks to our partners at Imprints for making this program possible.
• 39:06
  SPEAKER_03: Again, this is available to all chamber members.
• 39:08
  SPEAKER_03: You can check out details on all things holiday shop local at Boonechamber.com.
• 39:14
  SPEAKER_03: You are listening to Mind Your Business.
• 39:20
  SPEAKER_03: Two quick events to close out on, High Country Young Professionals meets next Wednesday, that's November 3rd, for their next social gathering.
• 39:28
  SPEAKER_03: That's at FA Fitness Tover in Glowing Rock from 5 to 7.
• 39:32
  SPEAKER_03: The following week, the next Business After Hours event at Mountain Community Bank in Boone, that also from 5 to 7 on Thursday, November 12th, in RSVP.
• 39:42
  SPEAKER_03: For both of those events, understanding one is age appropriate, but you can still below BooneCamber.com.
• 39:48
  SPEAKER_03: That'll do it for this week's Mind Your Business.
• 39:50
  SPEAKER_03: This program is written and produced this week by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce.
• 39:54
  SPEAKER_03: Thanks to North Carolina's small market radio station of the year, WATA, for placing us on the airwaves each and every week.
• 40:00
  SPEAKER_03: And as always, thanks to James Milner and the team at Appalachian Commercial Real Estate for making this podcast version of this program possible.
• 40:07
  SPEAKER_03: If you have yet to subscribe, fix that today.
• 40:10
  SPEAKER_03: Search for Mind Your Business wherever you get your podcast.
• 40:12
  SPEAKER_03: You can visit us online at foodchamber.com as well.
• 40:16
  SPEAKER_03: Until next week, so long, everybody.