Development

Hhs Job Placement

Chris Connell, who was recently hired as the Coordinator of Community Outreach and Alumni Relations at Hamilton High in 2021, has started a new workforce initiative at the school. His effort is to align students who are seeking employment with places to work. Connell said the demand for something like this was high; many students are on free and reduced lunch, and need to work to help provide for their families. Additionally, with the labor shortage, companies need employees more than ever.

Since starting at the beginning of the school year in 2021, Connell has placed over 22 students into part-time jobs, internships, and co-op positions. He’s already connected with over 50 companies all located within a half-hour drive from the school, and is now working with the City, the Chamber of Commerce, Miami University, and Butler Tech to expand his network.

He says the initiative provides a low-risk opportunity for the employer, as well as a low-risk opportunity for the student to gain an understanding of their abilities and interests. The co-op positions especially, in which students leave after lunch to work while still gaining high school credits, are a trial run that could potentially lead to a career post-graduation.

Working in these positions, students gain important soft skills such as customer service, dependability, problem solving, and more. They are able to start building a resume by gaining work experience, potential references, and the ability to recognize the skills they have and put a name to them.