SIDNEY – Deb McDermott, director at Workforce Partnership of Shelby County, has announced Kelly Edwards has been hired to fill the newly-created Career Coach position.
The position marks the beginning of a partnership between Workforce Partnership and the Shelby County United Way with a mission to provide students individualized support that focuses on workforce readiness while identifying local jobs that align with their personal goals and skills/aptitudes. The program wants to retain local talent and establish them in a direction that can lead to lifelong success.
“This new position will focus on matching appropriate skill sets and competencies to our local companies’ positions. In doing so, high school graduates will enter full time employment in positions that offer benefits and income growth potential. The Career Coach role and our partnership with Workforce Partnership will have a significant impact on the lives of our local graduates and the community,” said Scott Barr, president, Shelby County United Way.
In her new capacity Edwards will mentor Shelby County high school seniors whose post-graduation plans are to directly enter the workforce and transition them into full-time employment. Edwards will work closely with both public and private high school counselors, as well with local industry human resource representatives to assess the current job market and skills needs.
“We are excited to have Kelly join our team in this critical role,” said McDermott. “Kelly brings many years of education experience and demonstrates the ability to motivate students to be their best. She is a life-long resident of Shelby County who is committed to its growth and success”.
“This is just another piece to our puzzle of helping our Shelby County students find successful career paths. As we have seen our Workforce Partnership efforts grow over the past 6 years, this new position will help us close the loop. This will now allow us to go from career exposure to career education and then to career employment. We are extremely excited to help our Shelby County graduates,” said Mick Given, board chairman, Workforce Partnership.
“The partnership between Shelby County Industries and our schools is vital to equip young people with the knowledge and tools needed to enter the workforce. I am looking forward to being part of a program that helps to prepare students for their future success and supports our local community,” said Edwards
Edwards lives in Anna with her husband and three children.
