Panelists
Jule Baradi, Senior Director of Learning Governance, Marriott International Inc.
Doris Bodnar, Chief Executive Officer, Bodnar Group
Charlie Katz, Director of Corporate Engagement, National Academy Foundation
Bob Wise, President, Alliance for Excellent Education

The Alliance for Excellent Education and the National Academy Foundation (NAF) held a webinar to explore case studies that demonstrate the strategic steps businesses take to ensure their engagement with educators leads to effective expanded learning time and opportunities for students and positive experiences for the partnering business(es).

Nearly one-third of the nation’s high school students fail to graduate, and too many of those who do graduate are in need of significant remediation once they get to college. Many businesses are concerned about the impact this will have on the capacity to have skilled employees in the nation’s workforce and getting actively involved.

For example, to positively influence the United States’s workforce pipeline, businesses and employers have taken a proactive role in providing students with expanded learning time and opportunities to help prepare them to graduate from high school ready for college and a career. Many businesses are partnering with schools to provide youth with work-based learning opportunities, such as internships and job shadowing and allowing employees to serve on advisory boards to counsel career academies on the delivery of college- and career-related experiences. The difference between successful and unsuccessful engagement in this work is how strategic businesses and educators are in approaching their partnerships.

During the webinar, Alliance President Bob Wise moderated a discussion with Jule Baradi from Marriott International Inc.; Doris Bodnar of the Bodnar Group; and Charlie Katz from NAF.

Support for this webinar is provided in part by the Ford Foundation.