CLEVELAND — A new initiative in northeast Ohio is working to make students career-ready to fill job openings.

What You Need To Know

  • The Greater Cleveland Career Consortium was introduced at the Euclid headquarters of Lincoln Electric

  • Leaders said the goal is to make sure students in the region graduate from high school with a career vision and a plan

  • Students will get career exploration and guidance through curriculum, advising and out-of-school work exposure and experiences

Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO Eric Gordon called the initiative “groundbreaking” and believes it’s a major opportunity for students and employers.

“Educators alone cannot create the experiences that our students need to be workforce-ready. Employers alone cannot create the opportunities students need to be workforce-ready,” said Gordan. “It’s instead employers, educators, nonprofits, philanthropy, public entities, the city and the county, all in this room, all of us, that can create an ecosystem that ensures that the largest group of new employees presented to our market every year, our high school graduates, will be career-ready.”

Hundreds gathered at the Lincoln Electric Euclid headquarters, including political leaders such as Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, County Executive Armond Budish, Shana Marbury, general counsel and senior VP of talent from the Greater Cleveland Partnership; Tiffany Short, director of culture and organizational effectiveness for MetroHealth; and Amy Widlits of Sherwin ​Williams.

From sixth grade to graduation, students will get career exploration and guidance through curriculum, advising and out-of-school work exposure and experiences. 

Jaylin Brown, a senior at Ginn Academy, participates in the Early College, Early Career program at Lincoln Electric. He said he believes it’s important for others his age to have options and opportunities. 

“For exposure and understanding, so people know that there’s more to it than just dusty, scary rooms with big machines and loud noises,” he said. “I think it’s important for people to know that there is a lot out here, it’s available, you just have to be able to come and get it.”  

Those involved also see it as an opportunity for employers to find talent to fill jobs and provide good wages to young employees. 

JP Morgan Chase also pledged $500,000 toward supporting the initiative.