TOPEKA, Kan. – Two men, two different careers, one passion to bridge the gap between education and career.
Stan Ahlerich and Frank Henderson have worked in education and business for decades and noticed a significant gap between the job market’s needs and the skill sets of students graduating high school.
During conversations with Kansas businesses, Ahlerich and Henderson found that employers are struggling to find the trained talent with the right certifications they need to operate successfully.
The two also found there is a lack of awareness of career opportunities among students, leading them to go into
college without a clear plan, which often ended in dropping out with student debt and no job.
Their business, Talent Jump Drive, will engage in partnership with companies and school districts to inform students of career opportunities and provide a gateway for students to explore those opportunities. Education tracks and pathways will be created to prepare students for those careers
The goal upon graduation from high school is for students to be prepared to gain immediate employment in a field of their choice or be prepared to continue in higher education in their chosen area of study.
Ahlerich and Henderson say their unique backgrounds in business, education and workforce development bring a fresh process matching the needs of a business with talents and aspirations of students.
“Ultimately the Talent Jump Drive process will match the demand and needs of our local businesses with the appropriately trained talent of our exceptional students,” Henderson said.
To make that happen, Talent Jump Drive will coordinate with companies and students to complete classes and certifications in sixteen career clusters that include Architecture and Construction, Health Sciences, Manufacturing, and the STEM sector, among others.
Throughout the school year, students will learn about and explore career opportunities with various companies in a variety of fields. These objectives will be acquired through tours, visits, job-shadowing, and internships. Students will build a relationship with businesses in their chosen field.
The initiative will last the entire school year and be funded by area businesses.
Ahlerich, is the former president of Kansas Inc., and the former executive director of Kansas Governor’s Economic Council. Henderson is the former president of the Kansas Association of School Boards, member of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Education, former Commissioner with the Education Commission of the United States, 16 years on the Seaman USD 345 Board of Education, and holds a masters in Adult Occupational and Continuing Education.
They plan on starting with Shawnee County school districts and companies, then expanding outwards to other school districts around the state of Kansas focusing on the companies surrounding them.
“We help our community, we help our companies, we help our kids,” Henderson said, a long-time Shawnee County resident.
Ahlerich and Henderson say if they are successful, students will have the skills and talent needed in high school to create a more affordable education with less debt.
“Talent Jump Drive will embrace parents, students, companies, educators and even outside resources toward a purposeful and specific career pathway where every student matters,” Henderson said.
