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Central MA DESE Connecting Activities/US DOL Career Z Challenge Convening
May 1 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
A summit for secondary school career and workforce development leaders focused on best practices from the MA DESE School-to-Work Connecting Activities program and the U.S. DOL’s Career Z Challenge.
Co-hosted by the MassHire Central Region Workforce Board, Blackstone Valley Hub for Workforce Development, and the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the event is 9AM – noon in Worcester at the Blackstone River Valley Heritage Center 3 Paul Clancy Way (for GPS use 115 McKeon Road). See agenda below.
| TIME | TOPIC | PRESENTER(S) |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 - 9:10 | Welcome & Introductions - Recognition of Distinguished Guests | Jeannie Hebert: President, Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce |
| Devon Kurtz: Executive Director, Blackstone River Valley Heritage Corridor | ||
| - Overview: Agenda and Objectives | Jeff Turgeon: Executive Director, MCRWB | |
| 9:10 - 9:30 | MyCAP and Career Readiness Insights & Approaches | Joe Wyman: Educational Specialist, MA DESE |
| 9:30 - 9:50 | Agile Brain Engagement Session | Dr. J.D. Pincus & Dr. Bill Nolan: Agile Brain Founders |
| - Pre-session Interactive Agile Brain Assessment (4 minutes) | ||
| - BV Hub 2024 Pilot School Program Overview | ||
| - Presentation: Agile Brain Founders | ||
| 9:50 - 10:20 | Round 1: Current Practices - Observations of Today | Overview & Panel Discussion |
| - Overview: Central MA Connecting Activities Partnerships & new Virtual Guidebook | ||
| - Panel Discussion (led by Joscelyn Young, BV Hub) | - Lynn Turner: Core XP Business Solutions & BVCC HR Roundtable - Norma Rey-Alicea: Executive Director & Co-Founder, NextGen - Emily Lehman: Innovation Career Pathways Director, Worcester Public Schools - Tom Belland: WBL & Internship Consultant, BV Hub - Dr. Michael D. Rubin: Principal, Uxbridge HS |
|
| - Six Breakout Groups: Identify Best Practices & Gaps | ||
| 10:20 - 10:30 | Networking Break (coffee & snacks) | True Robotics' Robot Dogs Demo |
| 10:30 - 10:50 | Round 1: Summary & Discussion | |
| - Brief Report Outs | Breakout Group spokespersons | |
| - Discuss/Determine Action Items | ||
| 10:50 - 11:20 | Round 2: Integrating Tools for Career Readiness | NextGen Talent |
| - Introduce NextGen Talent Tool and Online Resource Library | ||
| - NextGen Talent Tool: Presentation & Demo | ||
| - Explore Gamification Concept & Active Tool Use | ||
| - How to Use NextGen Talent Tool for Career Trajectory Planning | ||
| 11:20 - 11:50 | Round 3: Data Aggregation Tool & Career Z Challenge | Joscelyn Young, BV Hub |
| - Overview: BV Hub Data Aggregation Tool and Online Resource Library | ||
| - Volunteer Use and Demo | ||
| - Introduce Potential Phase 3 Pilots | ||
| - True Robotics, Agile Brain Measures, Expanding Cohesive Tool Systen | ||
| - Popcorn Brainstorming Session: Phase 3 Proposal Submission | ||
| 11:50 - Noon | Wrap-Up & Next Steps | Emily Lehman Miller, WPS |
| - Review Objective, Action Items, and Summarize Key Takeaways | ||
| - Next Steps: Post Event Engagement | ||
| - Raffle Drawing (must be present to win) | ||
| Noon - 12:30 | Post-Event Networking (coffee & snacks) |