Connecting Students to Careers:

Leveraging the AWB Institute Washington Workforce Portal

Amunoo Tembo, SBCTC

Christine McMullin, SBCTC

Samantha Kinnard, AWB Institute

AGENDA

• Context & Importance of Work-Based Learning
• Overview of the AWB Workforce Portal
• Live Demonstration
• Success Story
• Partnership
• Panel Discussion and Q & A
• Next Steps and Resources

Note: All material licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

SETTING THE CONTEXT

Guided Pathways and Work-Based Learning

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SBCTC SYSTEM VISION

Leading with racial equity, our colleges maximize student potential and transform lives within a culture of belonging that advances racial, social, and economic justice in service to our diverse communities.

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WHAT IS GUIDED PATHWAYS?

Guided Pathways is a research-based framework that simplifies choices for students. Courses are grouped together to form clear paths through college and into careers, whether students enter those careers directly after graduation or transfer to a university for more study in their chosen fields.

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GUIDED PATHWAYS AND AWB PORTAL

• Starts with the end in mind: early career exploration.
• Connects students to employer opportunities
• Strengthens advising and support- career aligned tools.
• Strengthens education-employer partnerships for regional economic development.

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Association of Washington Business Institute

Samantha Kinnard, Program Manager

E-mail: samanthak@awbinstitute.org | Phone: 360-870-1695

What is the Washington Workforce Portal?

A state-wide platform that connects individuals looking to develop employable skills and explore work-based learning opportunities.

Where it all started...

• AWB Institute partnered with Indiana Chamber of Commerce who developed the Indiana INTERnet (now Work & Learn Indiana)
• This portal was created in collaboration with higher education institutions to address "brain drain"
• AWB Institute in partnership with SBCTC, WSU Tri-Cities, local chambers of commerce, and other business leaders have worked to leverage the Workforce Portal as a state-wide platform that connects students across the state to real-world work-based learning opportunities 

Our Chamber Partners

• Greater Vancouver Chamber
• Thurston County Chamber of Commerce
• Tri City Regional Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Spokane Inc.

Who can use the portal?

• Students
• Allows students to search for opportunities in a variety of fields and industries throughout Washington
• Employers
• Our site matches your requirements with the skills of searching students
• Educators
• Can assist students in their search for opportunities while also utilizing the portal to connect with employers

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What are the opportunities?

• Ways to expand scope beyond only internships
• Job Shadowing
• Teacher Externships
• Apprenticeships
• Internships
• Remote Work

Live Demo

How to:

• Register
• Search for an opportunity
• Employers/Educators: Post an opportunity 
• Students: Apply for an opportunity
• Educators: View student activity (reports)

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COLLEGE IN ACTION - Tacoma Community College

• How Tacoma selected and integrated the portal
• Results/impact on students & faculty
• Lessons learned

ENGAGING EMPLOYERS ACROSS WASHINGTON

Partnering with Chambers of Commerce:

• Connect students with local employers
• Promote internships and jobs
• Strengthen workforce pipelines
• Expand access to WBL opportunities

Chambers as Key Stakeholders

- How they promote the portal to local employers

- Strategies for business-college collaboration

- Success stories and regional insights

PANEL DISCUSSION

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MEET THE PANELISTS

• Kelli Johnston, Director of Workforce Education, Tacoma Community College
• Natalie Wilkerson, Coordinator of the Career Center, Tacoma Community College
• Christina Chestnut, Director of Workforce Development, Thurston County Chamber of Commerce
• Amy Tanska, Business and Workforce Education Director, Greater Vancouver Chamber

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Question 1: Engaging Students and Business

How do you actively engage students or businesses in work-based learning? Can you share some of the outreach methods you use? Additionally, how do digital tools like the Washington Workforce Portal help facilitate these connections? Are there any other tools or resources you recommend?

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Question 2: Addressing Employer Concern

When speaking with employers, what are some of the common concerns you hear about workforce readiness and hiring students or interns? Are there any misconceptions that you find yourself addressing regularly? What approaches have been effective in overcoming these concerns and encouraging employer participation?

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Question 3: Creating a Culture of Work-Based Learning

For institutions looking to introduce or strengthen pathways to work-based learning, what would you recommend as the first steps? What are some practical strategies for creating a culture of internships and experiential learning on campus and within departments?

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Question 4: Partnerships & Collaboration

How can career advisors, department heads, and faculty build and strengthen relationships with employers within their community to foster internship and work-based learning opportunities for students? What approaches have you found particularly useful in building these connections?

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Question 5: Navigating Obstacles & Building Trust

Reflecting on challenges you've encountered when connecting with employers or educational institutions, what strategies have proven effective in overcoming these barriers? How critical is trust and relationship-building in achieving successful collaborations?

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Question 6: Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways

Before we conclude, is there anything you'd like to add or think is particularly important for career services staff, faculty, and workforce development professionals to take away from today’s discussion?

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Thank You & Contact Info

• Amunoo Tembo, atembo@sbctc.edu
• Christine McMullin, cmcmullin@sbctc.edu
• Samantha Kinnard, samanthak@awbinstitute.org
• Amy Tanska, atanska@vancouverusa.com
• Christina Chesnut, cchesnut@thurstonchamber.com
• Kelli Johnston, kjohnston@tacomacc.edu
• Natalie Wilkerson, nwilkerson@tacomacc.edu

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Let’s keep connecting students to careers!

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Thank You & Contact Info

• Thank you for attending!
• Contact: Amunoo Tembo, ATembo@sbctc.edu
• Learn more: AWB Institute�www.awbinstitute.org
• Let’s keep connecting students to careers!