The Albert Lea Greater Education Project began its second year this fall. The program is designed to bridge business and industry and education. It gives students a realistic approach to choosing the right careers and the right educational path for their success. A study by Harvard states, “Of the 70 percent of all future jobs, only 10 percent will need a master’s or doctorate, 20 percent a bachelor’s degree and the remaining will need less than four years of education after high school.” The Albert Lea Greater Education Project offers our students speakers from various career areas, shadowing opportunities and potential mentors and internships.

The following companies and the 56 individuals deserve a big thank you for taking time out of their work day to speak to the eighth-grade Pathway’s Career class during the past two semesters. Professionals spent time talking about their career path, education they needed, future outlook for this career and personal advice for the students.

First quarter speakers included the city of Albert Lea (police, accounting, engineering, parks and recreation, and city clerk departments) Convention and Visitors Bureau, Edward Hubbard Insurance, Albert Lea Tribune, Leach Law Office, Senior Resources, Freeborn County Historical Museum, Enders Tools/Rink Systems, Zumbro Foods, Freeborn County Probation Department, Hy-Vee, Eaton Sport & Spine, Albert Lea Family Dental, Red Door Construction and Thorne Crest Retirement Community.

Second quarter speakers were from: Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce, Statewide Health Improvement Partnership, Freeborn Lumber, CFS Farms, Innovance, Schewe Time Service, Green Mill, Wedgewood Cove, Home Federal Bank, Riverland Community College, Leach Law Office, Americana Insurance, Farmland Electric, Kwik Trip and Jean Skaar, a retired nurse.

Sixty-five seniors were given the opportunity to shadow and interview a business’s professional of their choice and interest. Those businesses generously giving their time and talent  to work one on one with seniors were: District 241 (education, physiology, social work/IT departments), South Central Pet Care, the city of (Albert Lea Library, police, engineering  departments, Albert Lea Tribune, Studio 112 Salon, Albert Lea Family Dental, Dr. Wayne Sletten, Motor Inn, Freeborn County Probation Department, artist Barb Butler, Mayo Clinic Health System, Julie Nafzger, The Marketing Plant, Linda Fergeson Massage, Dahl  Seeds, Victory Catering, Red Door Construction, SEMCAC, Interstate Trucks and  Farmland Electric.

The project was also able to support the work-based learning classes finding and referring students to Ad Art, Shopko and Prairie Senior Cottages.  A special thanks to these companies and especially to Ad Art who is in the process of hiring their student!

The Albert Lea Greater Education Project is funded through donations from the Albert Lea Education Foundation. If you or your company would like to donate, speak, allow a student to shadow you or an employee or if you would like to mentor a student, please contact me at 507-383-7880. We would welcome your participation.

Jean Eaton

director

Albert Lea Greater
Education Project