OACC Envision Your Future program begins

The Orrville Area Chamber of Commerce kicked off its Envision Your Future program on Oct. 10. The Envision Your Future program is a series of learning sessions that feature experiential and hands-on learning focused on the personal development of local students.

The program will focus on the three E’s — enrollment/education, employment/apprenticeship and enlistment — and help to build each student’s confidence as they explore where their path will take them.

The program was offered to local high school students in ninth and 10th grade via the high school guidance counselors. Specifically, the program will focus on students who want to explore their future career choices and are contemplating next steps after school. Nine students from Kingsway Christian and Orrville City Schools are participating in the program.

Molly Shaw of Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio guided the students through an online assessment that matched students’ interests with potential careers.

“Developing a career plan by taking interests, abilities and skills and applying them to real-world opportunities is important,” Shaw said. “Identifying what you’re good at and interested in will help you hone in as you begin your career plan.”

After taking the assessment, students explored potential careers that aligned with their interests and aptitudes. At the end of the session, students said they were surprised to learn about so many new jobs they had never thought about pursuing before.