The employers in Southern Illinois understand the value of helping shape the future workforce. They have to think about training and retraining costs. By participating in a program such as ours, employers will eventually realize a tremendous payoff. By helping to steer students into future career paths, the Mid-South Partnership Coalition also gives employers an edge in recruiting. Students and teachers who have worked with employers in the coalition have direct knowledge of the companies and their operations.
Employers here are very interested in nurturing their future workforce.
We are providing a way to improve their competitive advantage, and that is very attractive, explains Musgrave. He said it provided the right type of work skills and the career guidance that is sorely needed today. The coalition has also gained attention nationally. Last November, the placement firm of Challenger, Gray and Christmas, in conjunction with SHRM, presented Musgrave with an Education Excellence Award . In addition, the program received funding from the U.S. Department of Education under the School to Work Opportunities Act one of only 31 grants funded nationwide and one of three grants awarded in Illinois.