Byesville Rotary learns about career development at Mid East

Pictured: Back row: Barry Ross, Enrollment Coordinator from Mid East Buffalo Campus, and Becky Bruner, Speaker Host.

Barry Ross, Enrollment Coordinator from Mid East Buffalo Campus, explained that career development is an important aspect of education at Mid East. He wants his students to consider setting a career goal early in their education. Early choice helps graduates prepare to meet the requirements today’s employers look for in new employees.

Ross begins with simple questions instead of a lecture. The questions—as well as the candy rewards he offers to students who offer answers—get students thinking about the kind of future they want and what kind of life style they want to live. His questions prompt students to think about the life style a fast food restaurant salary provides compared to the life style any of the career paths offered at Mid East can provide. His questions encourage students to consider careers in areas such as Criminal Justice, Computer Support Technology, or Industrial and Engineering Systems in construction, manufacturing or transportation.

Ross challenged the Byesville Rotarians to answer some of his questions such as, “What is an average electric bill for a one bedroom efficiency apartment?” or” How much does it cost to provide food for one person for a month?” Follow up questions include, “What are the 5 most common foods purchased on an entry level salary?” and “By how much will your food bill increase when you have a baby?”(Answers: the top 5 foods—1) Ramon noodles, 2) mac and cheese, 3) cereal, 4) frozen pizza, and 5) hot dogs; and—a baby triples the food budget.)

Once Ross’s students begin considering the cost of living, he works with them to project a budget that will meet their life style expectations. He stated that it is more important for students to make a plan than to just say “This is what I want to do.”

Most of the 2000 students at Mid East use the Career Center to explore career possibilities. Forty-four per cent of students graduating from Mid East continue their education after they graduate. Ross pointed out that Mid East has partnered with Zane State to offer the Pathway to Engineering program which provides post secondary education courses to students while they attend Mid East.

The club meets 7:30 am every Tuesday at the Stop Nine Senior Center at 60313 (GPS use 60299) Southgate Road, Byesville. Anyone interested in learning more about the Byesville Rotary can call Membership Chair Jim Vaughan, 740-260-2969. More information about the Byesville Rotary can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Byesville-Rotary/256548047818283