Work readiness was the discussion topic of the day Feb. 26 when a distinguished panel comprised of Seymour educators, business leaders and government officials met at Connecticut Basement Systems in Seymour to share their perspectives with the public.
The panel explored the gap between what students are learning in school and the skills they need for the workforce.
Panel members included Larry Janesky, President of Connecticut Basement Systems; W. Kurt Miller, Seymour’s First Selectman; Fred A. Messore, Seymour Economic Development Director; Nicole Russo, President, Microboard Processing Inc; and Christine Syriac, Seymour Superintendent of Schools.
The panel was moderated by Adam Dworkin, Chairman of Junior Achievement of Western CT’s (JAWCT) Valley Community Board and Practice Administrator, Griffin Faculty Physicians at Griffin Hospital. The group was brought together under the auspices of the JAWCT, with Connecticut Basement Systems serving as the event host.
Commenting on the panel discussion, the President of Junior Achievement of Western CT, Bernadine Venditto stated, “There was a spirited dialog among panel members with different perspectives shared. Everyone was clear about the importance of work-readiness as our students enter a rapidly changing job market. The basics, however, don’t change: Students need to know how to express themselves intelligently, orally and in writing, know how to work in a team and have a strong financial foundation. We are grateful to panel members for sharing their expertise and to the public who came to participate in the discussion.”