INVESTING IN OUR YOUTH INVESTING IN OUR YOUTH TODAY, YIELDING A TODAY, YIELDING A POSITIVE RETURN POSITIVE RETURN

TOMORROWTOMORROW

Georgia Department of Labor

Commissioner Mark Butler

THE DISCONNECT

LOOKING FOR AN ANSWER

The Georgia Department of Labor began studying successful soft skills programs in four different states

We took what worked in each state and applied it to Georgia

LABOR COMMISSIONER MARK BUTLER

Unfortunately, many students are not

receiving satisfactory training skills to

operate in a working environment.

GeorgiaBEST gives students the chance

to gain these skills, while allowing them

an advantage in promoting themselves in

the competitive job market that exists

today.

Unfortunately, many students are not

receiving satisfactory training skills to

operate in a working environment.

GeorgiaBEST gives students the chance

to gain these skills, while allowing them

an advantage in promoting themselves in

the competitive job market that exists

today.

DEVELOPING GEORGIABEST 10 Standards were developed Development of a module for teachers to

follow when implementing A justification paper was then developed for

each of the 10 standards Possible activities were also developed for

the teachers to implement for each of the standards

An assessment sheet for teachers to grade students was created

THE 10 STANDARDS

THE PILOT SCHOOLS• The Department of Labor met with

Superintendents, principals and teachers across the state.

• Nine different school systems and 21 schools took part in the pilot program

• The program began in January 2012 and ended in April.

• The state success rate was 62 percent

THE PILOT SCHOOLS AND THEIR RATE OF SUCCESS

Grovetown High

•58%Lakeside & Evans

•100%

Douglas County

•37%

Whitewater High

•60%

Sandy

Creek

High

•60%

Carroll County

•71%

Emanuel County Institute

•41%

Swainsboro High

•43%

Fannin County High

•76%

Dodge County High

•66%

Rockdale

Academy

•35%

12-For-Life

•100%

HOW IT WORKS

STUDENT RATING SHEET

GEORGIABEST IN THE CLASSROOM

THE CERTIFICATE

WHAT DOES THE CERTIFICATE MEAN? Certificates bear the seal of the Department of

Labor, and are provided by the GDOL at no cost to the schools

Certificates serve as validation to employers that this student has successfully displayed strong work habits and has gone above and beyond

Students can list certificates on their job applications, as well as college applications

POSSIBLE ACTIVITIES FORGEORGIABEST

• Students can be required to read ‘Dress for Success’ and do a report on it

• Schools can hold Mock Interview Days in connection with local business leaders

• Students can write mock business emails and create resumes

TEAMWORK: Team work skills are best developed in group

assignments where the teacher either randomly assigns team members or creates the teams so that the students are not comfortable with each other or have different strengths.

Teachers can assign a group project in which one member of each group is a project manager and provides leadership and direction to the other members. Group projects often teach flexibility as well, because each member of a group has to balance their desires with the desires of their group members. Students can be required to do a presentation and “sell” their idea to teachers.

PUNCTUALITY AND TIME MANAGEMENT Students can be required to keep a week-

long time-log of their arrival at school, work, sports practice, after-school activities, and even family events. They can look at details such as how many times they were late for certain commitments, what were they strongest motivators to be on time, how can they improve on their punctuality.

Students can also keep a week-long journal of their duties or commitments each day for a week.

SELF-MANAGEMENT, LEADERSHIP Students can read about business leaders

in the corporate world or in the military and compile a list of leadership styles that work.

Students can also be required to come up with an idea for an activity or project in the school and present their idea to the teacher. The ideas could range from putting vending machines in the cafeteria to suggesting that teams be developed to sell ads for school yearbooks because sales are falling. This shows creativity of the student, problem-solving and leadership.

ON THE JOB TRAINING, CAREER RESEARCHStudents could research different

careers, and either spend the day with someone in that field in a job-shadowing day, or write a paper about that career – including their reason for choosing this career, the requirements of the career, etc.

Speakers can be invited in to talk to students about certain careers, or students could participate in career day at the school.

Hold Career Day

IMPORTANCE OF SOFT SKILLS

GEORGIABEST 2012-2013 GeorgiaBEST will be implemented in schools

next year beginning in August or September, and will run through April

Schools on block schedules can run the program from August to December, and from January to April

Teachers will submit names of students certified for GeorgiaBEST in November or April, and certificates will be printed by GDOL

THE SCHOOL’S RESPONSIBILITY

Teachers will assess each student on each of the 10 standards.

The assessments for individual standards can be performed weekly – as the teacher completes discussion of that standard.

Teachers and schools will submit a standardized Excel form with all students names, and the total points they received.

The DOL will hold several webinars throughout the year that teachers can participate in

NEW SCHOOLS FOR NEXT YEAR

Hall County SchoolsPike County HighWalton County schoolsBanks County HighThomson HighLiberty County Charter Academy

SCHOOLS WE ARE WORKING WITH FOR NEXT YEAR Marietta High School Lamar County High School Effingham County Long County Bulloch County Bleckley County Golden Isle Career Academy Brunswick Christian Academy Ware County Cherokee County Screven County Griffin/Spalding County

WANT MORE INFORMATION? Cindy Morley Cindy.morley@gdol.ga.gov 404-232-7343 Direct Line 404-308-2930 Cell Phone