"Connecting Classrooms, Careers & Community"

☕ Workforce & Education Roundtable

Hosted by the Mint Hill Chamber of Commerce: Dates TBD

📍 Location: Mint Hill Chamber of Commerce
👥 Facilitator: Paige McKinney, President & CEO
☕ Format: Coffee & Light Breakfast Roundtable
⏰ Length: 90 Minutes

🎯 Our Purpose

The Exchange brings together local business leaders, educators, workforce professionals, and community stakeholders to discuss workforce trends, future employment needs, career readiness, and opportunities to strengthen Mint Hill's talent pipeline.

The Chamber serves as the connector between education and industry, helping align workforce needs with student preparation while creating meaningful opportunities for collaboration.

🌎 Why This Matters

One statistic that continues to resonate in workforce conversations:

📍 Approximately 80% of adults live within 100 miles of where they grew up

📍 Nearly 60% live within 10 miles of where they were raised

This means many of the future employees, entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, skilled trades workers, and community leaders who will shape Mint Hill's future are already sitting in our classrooms today.

By bringing educators and employers together, we can better understand workforce needs, strengthen career pathways, and create opportunities that benefit students, businesses, and our community.

👥 Who Should Participate?

🎓 Education Partners

🏫 Independence High School

🏫 Rocky River High School

🏫 Queen's Grant Community School

🏫 Higher Education & Workforce Partners

💼 Business & Industry Leaders

🏭 Manufacturing

🔨 Skilled Trades & Construction

🏥 Healthcare

💻 Technology & Information Technology

📊 Finance & Professional Services

⚙️ Engineering & Technical Services

🚚 Logistics & Transportation

🛍️ Retail & Hospitality

🚀 Entrepreneurship & Small Business

🚓 Public Safety & Community Services

💬 What We'll Discuss

🔍 Workforce Trends

• Hiring challenges
• Skills shortages
• Workforce expectations
• Industry certifications
• Technology changes

🎓 Education & Career Readiness

• Career pathways
• Student interests
• Workforce preparation
• Career & Technical Education
• Industry partnerships

🤝 Collaboration Opportunities

• Internships
• Job Shadowing
• Apprenticeships
• Mentorship Programs
• Business Tours
• Classroom Speakers
• Career Exploration Events

📋 Roundtable Agenda

👋 Welcome & Introductions

Meet fellow educators, employers, and community leaders while discussing the purpose of The Exchange and the Chamber's role in workforce development.

📈 Workforce Trends from the Business Community

Business leaders share insights on:

✅ Skills gaps

✅ Hiring trends

✅ Entry-level expectations

✅ Emerging technologies

✅ Industry certifications

✅ Workforce challenges

🎓 Perspective from Educators

Educators discuss:

✅ Career pathway programs

✅ Student interests

✅ Workforce preparation efforts

✅ Career & Technical Education initiatives

✅ Opportunities and challenges

🔎 Identifying the Gaps

Together we will explore:

⚠️ Skills mismatches

⚠️ Career awareness gaps

⚠️ Workforce expectations

⚠️ Exposure to local industries

⚠️ Perceptions of career pathways

💡 Opportunities for Collaboration

Potential initiatives include:

🤝 Mentorship Programs

👷 Apprenticeships

🏢 Business Tours

🎤 Classroom Speakers

👀 Job Shadowing

💼 Internships

🎯 Career Exploration Programs

📚 Industry Input & Curriculum Alignment

🏛 The Chamber's Role

The Mint Hill Chamber of Commerce can serve as:

🔗 Connector between education and industry

📋 Workforce initiative organizer

💼 Internship and career program facilitator

🎓 Leadership and mentorship coordinator

📢 Workforce advocacy partner

🤝 Community convener

🎯 Desired Outcomes

For Businesses

✅ Stronger talent pipelines

✅ Better workforce preparation

✅ Increased career awareness

✅ Recruitment opportunities

✅ Stronger community partnerships

For Educators

✅ Real-time industry insight

✅ Expanded business partnerships

✅ Enhanced career awareness

✅ Increased work-based learning opportunities

✅ Stronger connections to local employers

For Our Community

🌟 Stronger workforce

🌟 Stronger economy

🌟 Stronger schools

🌟 Stronger partnerships

🌟 Stronger Mint Hill

🚀 Potential Future Initiatives

👀 Job Shadow Program

💼 Internship Network

🎓 Career Exploration Series

🤝 Mentorship Program

🏢 Business & Industry Tours

🎤 Business Speaker Bureau

📚 Workforce Advisory Group

📈 Top 10 Skills Mint Hill Employers Need Report

🌟 Long-Term Vision

The Exchange seeks to establish the Mint Hill Chamber of Commerce as a leader in workforce collaboration by connecting:

🎓 Education

⬇️

🛠️ Training

⬇️

💼 Employment

⬇️

🌳 Community Growth

Together, we can build a stronger workforce, stronger businesses, and a stronger future for Mint Hill.

📬 Interested in Participating?

Mint Hill Chamber of Commerce

📧 paige@minthillchamberofcommerce.com

📞 704-573-8282

🌐 Building tomorrow's workforce through collaboration, partnership, and shared purpose.