Rivet

Unemployment rates are way down across the country and that’s especially true here in Central Ohio, at a little over 3%. The unemployment rate of 16 to 24-year-olds, however, is much higher than that at about 11%.

Just because people have a job, doesn’t mean they’ve found the right job. With 270,000 open jobs in our region, Rivet seeks to connect individuals to all those opportunities.

This episode looks directly at the jobs out there, following-up with some of the young folks we profiled in Season 1, to see where they are – a year later.

Featuring:

For more information about the programs mentioned in this episode and more, check out our Resource Page.

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College sophomore Ashton Sullivan was tired of floating through university classes and trying to decide on a major. She didn’t want to disappoint her family, but she knew what she wanted to do: drop out of college, attend a coding bootcamp and get a job.

Follow Ashton as she enrolls in a 14 week coding bootcamp and finds a learning environment she can excel in and the passion for software development she didn’t know she had.

For more information about the programs mentioned in this episode and more, check out our Resource Page.

*Statistic correction: For all existing software developers, 50% of them don’t have a 4-year degree in Computer Science.

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Some people just don’t like school, and one of those people is Mac Connor.

When Mac started high school, he knew the basics and didn’t see why he had to continue learning reading, writing and arithmetic, over and over again.

Finding the motivation to finish high school was a challenge for Mac until he found Fort Hayes Career Center. The school’s automotive technology program fostered Mac’s love of cars and gave him a path towards graduation.

Hear how Mac found a way to pursue his passion, graduate, and find a job thanks to a local internship.

For more information about the programs mentioned in this episode and more, check out our Resource Page.

The post A Different Road appeared first on Rivet Podcast from WOSU.

When you ask young people what they want to be when they grow up, a career in insurance is probably not at the top of the list.

Like most teenagers, Sierra Roberts only thought about insurance about when it was time to send in her monthly car insurance payment.

She had no idea that an insurance company would give her the unique opportunity to find satisfying work, and stay close to the small hometown she loves.

Listen to how Sierra’s experience as an intern got her a foot in the door in a growing and rewarding industry.

For more information about the programs mentioned in this episode and more, check out our Resource Page.

The post A Foot in the Door appeared first on Rivet Podcast from WOSU.

Billan Gurreh knew she wanted to get a head start on a career, but felt nervous to leave her friends and the familiar surroundings of her high school.

When she learned about a dental hygienist training program, Billan decided to take a chance and start her junior year at a different school, C-TEC Licking County.

Follow Billan as she navigates the difficulties that come with switching schools and gains the skills to work in a burgeoning healthcare field.

For more information about the programs mentioned in this episode and more, check out our Resource Page.

The post A New School appeared first on Rivet Podcast from WOSU.

As a fourth-generation farmer, Chris Dible has spent his entire life surrounded by agriculture. Tending to the land is in his blood.

His dream is to continue that legacy, but with the likelihood of his family farm eventually being sold, Chris doubts he will work there forever.

Follow Chris as he discovers a passion for science with the help of a special teacher and learns about the many career opportunities in agriculture, Ohio’s largest industry.

For more information about the programs mentioned in this episode and more, check out our Resource Page.

The post A Growing Field appeared first on Rivet Podcast from WOSU.

A new season of Rivet is coming October 1 that will help you learn how to make what you love doing into your career – through pathways outside of a four-year degree.

On this season of Rivet, hear the stories of students discovering how their interests translate to jobs … without college. Listen in as we highlight opportunities for the next generation of workers in the state’s top industries such as agriculture, insurance and health care.

Tap into the wealth of information on the American Graduate: Getting to Work website. This project was supported through a grant by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Listen to Rivet on the WOSU Public Media mobile app, on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And make sure to leave a rating and review!

Leticia Wiggins, Host: Getting a foot in the working world sometimes means jumping a few hurdles.

Billan Gurreh’s first day at a new career tech school meant leaving her old high school behind. She wanted a head start on dental hygienist training, but wondered if it was the right decision.

Billian Gurreh: For the first day of school, I was panicking. Oh, my gosh, I have no friends here. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’m not going to talk to anybody. I really thought I’m never going to laugh again.

Leticia Wiggins, Host: Sierra Roberts wanted to go to a four-year college for computer programing until she looked seriously at the cost and realized, well she couldn’t afford it.

Sierra Roberts: I started looking at like tuition fees and I was like, there’s no way I’m going to be able to afford, you know, to go to a four-year college and not go into thousands of dollars of debt.

Leticia Wiggins, Host: Chris Dible is a fourth-generation farmer on a family farm. He loves it, but knows it won’t be around forever, even though he wishes he could work there for the rest of his life.

Chris Dible: I know eventually this place is going to get out of my hands. I love being here. I wish it would never end, but I know it will eventually.

Leticia Wiggins, Host: Taking the next steps to find a career is challenging. It can involve the fear of a new school, a realization that a four-year degree is much too pricey or doubting that you will ever find work that’s right for you.

There are over 270,000 open jobs in Columbus alone that pay $22 dollars an hour. They don’t require a four-year degree and are in some of Ohio’s top industries. Recruiters say opportunities are out there and educators are realizing the need for skilled workers, too.

Brian Wilfong: There is a huge skills gap in the United States of America, massive one. And we I mean, we have business and industry calling us. It’s not an exaggeration to say daily, but that doesn’t mean that connecting to these future careers is easy.

Leticia Wiggins, Host: But that doesn’t mean that connecting to these future career is easy. I’m Leticia Wiggins, the host of WOSU Public Media’s podcast series, Rivet. Season two of Rivet shares more stories of young people finding success through pathways outside of a four-year degree. T

his season, we will hear about one of Ohio’s surprising top industries, how to get ahead on a career in high school and opportunities in unlikely places. Find Rivet on WOSU mobile app or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Rivet launches Tuesday, October 1st.

This project is developed with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and as part of the National Initiative, American Graduate: Getting to work.

The post Coming Soon: Rivet Season Two appeared first on Rivet Podcast from WOSU.

Miguel Tucker grew up in Columbus’s South Linden neighborhood. As a kid, he spent a lot of time in the streets where having money meant getting ahead.

Money was important, but what you had to do to get it mattered less. This all changed after a few tragic years.

To break from a cycle of violence, Miguel needed to find a way to make money the legal way. Follow along as he knocks on the door of Impact Community Action, an organization that helps put people to work in the building trades.

For more information about the programs mentioned in this episode and more, check out our Resource Page.

Miguel Tucker was recently accepted a position as the Organizing Director for the Juvenile Justice Coalition. He left the apprenticeship behind, but continues to follow his passion for youth advocacy, working to improve juvenile justice in his old neighborhood of South Linden and throughout the city.

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This week, we take a quick reprieve from our conventional podcast format and enter the break room…

Join producer Michael De Bonis and me as we explain how Rivet  connects workers to jobs. Michael mentions that the Resources Page is a great place to find pathways to in-demand work, I tease next week’s final episode, and we both ask to hear from you about your path to a good career.

Take a few minutes to give us a listen – and don’t be afraid to share Rivet  and email us at [email protected] with any questions or comments!

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After dislocating his shoulder during a shift at FedEx, Danavan McIntosh decided he wanted a job that engaged his mind, instead of taxing his body.

As a kid, he’d always enjoyed taking apart gaming systems and putting them back together – to figure out how they worked. Today, he knows computers are essential to our way of life and industries are in need of tech-savvy people.

He decided to turn his childhood interest into a career. Danavan left his job at FedEx behind for a career in the tech world. The key to his success will be a certification program. If he passes the tests at the end, he’ll qualify for a number of entry-level jobs as an IT professional.

For more information about the programs mentioned in this episode and more, check out our Resource Page.

The post The Certificate appeared first on Rivet Podcast from WOSU.