To help give local ninth-graders early guidance as they began high school, Catawba Island Club in Port Clinton, Ohio highlighted its food and beverage program in a local business career showcase.
Deciding on a career path can be a daunting task for teenagers. To help give ninth-graders in Ottawa County, Ohio a little early guidance as they began high school, local businesses held a “Discover Where Your Talents Can Take You” career showcase on October 24. The 16 participating organizations included the Catawba Island Club (CIC), in Port Clinton, Ohio, which showcased the jobs the club industry could offer through hands-on activities with over 500 students.
“The idea wasn’t necessarily to hire—it was to expose students to what potential exists, in advance of them choosing a college track,” says Ken Williams, CIC’s Director of Golf & Marketing. General Manager Mike Schenk and Executive Chef Susan Davila also represented CIC at the event, engaging the students by having them build a tree made of pineapple and other fruits (the club decided that actually cooking food might be difficult, given the venue and the volume of kids).
“We were concerned that interacting with so many students would limit our ability to make connections and discuss career possibilities in hospitality,” says Davila (“(Ohio) Island Paradise,” C&RB, September 2013). “But being able to work with the students directly allowed a different level of interaction and a sort of trust that, we think, sparked an overall interest.”
Through the hands-on, goal-oriented activity, kids learned about a career in the culinary industry, and had the opportunity to ask questions to a professional. “In our section of the world, fine dining is not really popular—we have more of a mix of fast-food and grill-type restaurants,” Williams notes. “We wanted to present the culinary option as a career and life-long skill.”
While CIC showcased its culinary opportunities at the event, the club, which borders Lake Erie’s southern coastline, may highlight a different side of club life next year. “We had a Q&A with the ninth graders and a lot of them asked about the marine side of the club, so we might present that next year,” Williams says.
For the club and the community, the event was seen as a resoundingly successful collaboration between the private sector and local schools. “Businesses in our area need to hire, and we need to expose more young men and women to all the opportunities out there,” says Williams. “Walking around the event, a lot of kids said, ‘Wow, I didn’t know this was a career.’ ”
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