Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Jerry Scott. We hope you enjoy Jerry’s wisdom and perspective.
The winds of change are blowing in our community. In my 35 years living here, after relocating from Tennessee, I have never been so excited and optimistic about our future. There are so many cool things happening: Metronet, Renaissance District, Regional Cities Initiative, US Tech Center, Innovation Park, Ignition Park, Ignite Michiana, and on and on. Entrepreneurial spirit seems to be flowing everywhere with the possibility for dramatic job growth and regional prosperity.
In the middle of all this, a bright local high school senior named Cat Edmonds recently made this observation: “The greatest challenge to economic growth in our region is population stagnation. As a community, we need to retain our talented young people and open new pathways for them to succeed here at home. We need to show the youth of our community that the South Bend area is a place where they can have an opportunity to make their dreams come true.”
This is Generation Z and they are coming on strong.
Generation Z is loosely defined as those born after 1995, which makes the oldest around 21. They are currently in college and high school. According to generational writer Ryan Jenkins, here is Generation Z in a nutshell:
“Generation Z is the first truly global generation with limitless interests and avenues for learning. They have been raised in a high-tech, hyper-connected, on-demand, and impatient culture. Some experts expect Generation Z’s mantra to be ‘good things come to those who act.’ This self-directed, entrepreneurial-minded, highly educated, and uber resourceful generation will stop at nothing to make their mark on the world. Surveys indicate 60% of them want to have an impact on the world and 63% say college should teach students how to start and run a business.”
We care about this at Gibson because we are committed to doubling in size every ten years and we are planning our workforce needs out at least that far. So we will need to hire at least 10 of today’s high school seniors when they graduate from college in 2020 and 10 more high school juniors when they graduate from college in 2021. The question is whether that reality is terrifying or exhilarating?!?!?!
Thanks to a new program in our community called St. Joe CEO, I can assure you that the prospect is exhilarating. St. Joe CEO is a year-long entrepreneurship immersion for high school juniors and seniors in St. Joseph County. The program seeks to prepare students to be responsible, enterprising individuals who become entrepreneurs or entrepreneurial thinkers and contribute to economic development and sustainable communities. The CEO program is much more than a textbook course. Rather, students are immersed in real-life learning experiences with the opportunity to take risk, manage the results, and learn from the outcomes. There are students from seven area high schools in the program this year.
St. Joe CEO’s Program Director Iris Hammel is a dedicated young educator and entrepreneur in her own right. She recently shared with me about her students and their passion for giving back to the community. The program has given them a newfound appreciation for the South Bend area and the power of business to be a force for change and for good. Many of the students have rethought their life plans, desiring to remain in this community due to everything they have experienced and learned while interacting with local business leaders.
The students’ final program “thesis” is to start their own small business. One business, called Pocket Buds, was started by two CEO students, Zachary Biggs and Christian Smith, to sell pre-folded pocket squares. It is now up and running! And the Buds are quite stylish and convenient!
In order to raise funds for their small business start-ups, this year’s class has partnered with Willow Wetherall and the awesome platform Ignite Michiana. They are acting as promoters for what I think will be the coolest event this year!
Ignite Michiana: Cleared for Takeoff! will feature 18 area high school and middle school students selected to deliver lightning fast TED-style talks that will inspire and educate the audience. The topics will be as varied as our community and will guarantee an outstanding experience for the presenters and attendees. Topics will include:
- Importance of culture
- “Pay it forward” coffee shop The Local Cup
- Getting involved and making a difference while an introvert
- The power of listening
- Taking charge of your education
- A student founded organization called Hunter’s Hound
The event is Thursday, February 25, 2016 in the Studebaker Hanger at the South Bend International Airport from 5:30-9:30. Click here to learn more and purchase tickets.
The goal of the event is to connect youth and adults in our community in order to break through the generational divide to create a robust support system for young people. Without a doubt, it will be a window into the soul of some of the most engaged and high potential teenagers in our community. This should be a must-attend for business leaders, talent development and HR professionals, educators, economic development professionals, and families who would like to show their elementary and middle school students a path to success and contribution.
What’s The Risk?
If you had asked me a couple of months if I thought I would meet 20 or so high schools seniors who had a profound interest in business and in making a positive impact on their community and the world, I would have said unlikely. St. Joe CEO has opened my eyes, broadened my talent pipeline strategy, and has challenged more than a few of my generational stereotypes.
It has also reminded me of the value of keeping my head up and always scanning what is going on around us. I could have missed this and not experienced what a firm handshake from a clear-eyed, focused, and motivated high school senior feels like. If you live in this area, I encourage you to come and bring your colleagues, friends, and family. You’ll see what that feels like as well.
This content was written and shared by guest blogger, Jerry Scott. Connect with Jerry on LinkedIn and Twitter.
