Jonathan Alder Local Schools had a strong presence at this year’s Careers2Classrooms | Educator Workforce Boot Camp, sending more participants than any other district. This professional development initiative, hosted by the Columbus Chamber of Commerce and the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio (ESCCO), gives educators firsthand exposure to local industries with the goal of better preparing students for the workforce.
Throughout the week-long experience, educators visited job sites across Central Ohio—ranging from healthcare and construction to technology and manufacturing—and engaged with professionals to understand the skills students will need in an evolving job market.
“Careers2Classrooms helped me look at the role our classrooms can play in preparing our kids for the workforce,” said Jennifer Danner, a 7th grade English Language Arts teacher. “We’ve already restructured some of our lessons to help students work on skills that go far beyond our ELA curriculum.”
Music teacher Cheryl Manbeck also found value in the experience, noting the wide range of industries she and her cohort explored.
“I thoroughly enjoyed this amazing field trip experience for educators! The cohort I was in got to learn about various high-demand fields of employment by touring Columbus area businesses, including Kokosing Construction, healthcare at OSU Wexner Medical Center and OhioHealth, modern manufacturing at Worthington Steel and Engineered Profiles, as well as information technology at CGI and Perry proTECH.”
The program emphasizes practical connections between education and employment. At the closing event held at COSI, Jonathan Alder teachers shared presentations about their site visits and how they plan to apply what they learned in the classroom. Dr. Nicole Schrock, the district’s College, Career, Workforce, and Military Readiness Coordinator, was encouraged by what she heard.
“Teachers shared what they learned at job sites and how the interactions with our students’ potential future employers could be integrated into the classroom,” Schrock said. “I heard the words ‘hands-on,’ ‘real world,’ and references to essential skills like communication, collaboration, and work ethic. I left feeling hopeful and excited about the impact this will have on our students.”
The Careers2Classrooms Boot Camp brought together educators from more than a dozen districts across Central Ohio, but Jonathan Alder’s participation stood out—not just in numbers, but in the level of engagement and enthusiasm.
Junior High Guidance Counselor Kati Lupia reflected on the broader implications for student support.
“We were able to learn from industry leaders about future career trends and experience many different types of careers firsthand at actual job sites. We’re excited to bring this knowledge back to our staff, students, and families.”
With educators returning to the classroom with new ideas, stronger community connections, and a clearer understanding of workforce demands, students across the district stand to benefit from richer, more relevant learning experiences in the years ahead.