CRL! partners with PVSD

Erik Orndorff, Pequea Valley School District (PVSD) superintendent, wants people to know that the district's commitment to each student is real. "If we have the slogan 'Each learner counts,'" said Orndorff, "let's prove it." One way that Orndorff has backed up his words is by taking part in Career Ready Lancaster! (CRL!), a partnership between businesses, educators, and other community members organized by the Lancaster County Workforce Development Board based on a grant the organization received.

According to Orndorff, about a dozen business leaders and school leaders first met together at the ABC Keystone building about three years ago. Although COVID-19 restrictions slowed the group's progress, participants continued seeking to attract job seekers for skilled work in the county, partner with businesses to fill the workforce pipeline, and partner with educators to bring new skilled laborers into the workforce.

Orndorff was recruited to help oversee the education pieces because of PVSD's workforce development efforts. He works alongside Ephrata superintendent Brian Troop and Manheim Township superintendent Robin Felty. The education team turned to the Society for Human Resources Management list of soft skills and selected five behaviors employers look for in workers. Those five skills are teamwork, communication, problem solving, resilience, and integrity. "We (have created) a High Five dashboard, which is basically creating activities for students so that they learn these five different essential skills," said Orndorff. "We want to help businesses with kids that have (these traits)." The team is working to make the dashboard available to educators and parents. Orndorff noted that possible avenues to promote the five skills include having a way for teachers to grade students in these areas. Another proposal integrates the five qualities into a school district's existing character program. "We said, 'Let's make these five skills part of the face of the Lancaster (workforce),'" Orndorff explained.

The CRL! website, which may be found at https://careerreadylancaster.com, includes the dashboard, along with resource information for parents and guardians, businesses, and others. CRL! is facilitated by Peter Caddick, working in cooperation with Anna Ramos, executive director of the Lancaster County Workforce Development Board. Other partners in the effort include IU13, Pennsylvania CareerLink, Lancaster Works, Lancaster STEM Alliance, and Junior Achievement. Orndorff said that subcommittees meet regularly and every 90 days the group gathers for updates.

Orndorff noted that preparing all students for their lives after high school is essential during the four years of secondary education. "Every college has a career center," he pointed out. "Why doesn't every high school have a career center if half the kids are going right to work?"

Ramos noted that the group's efforts should have a positive effect on all partners. "The Lancaster County Workforce (Development Board) ecosystem, made up of employers, educational institutions, and community partners, is working together to create common language, identify what skills are needed in our county ... and develop equitable pathways for inclusion of all workers," she stated.