Stanislaus State’s new CareerReadyU initiative, announced during President Ellen Junn’s Fall Welcome on Aug. 19, has entered into memorandums of agreement (MOU) with three founding partners: The City of Turlock, the City of Modesto and the Turlock Chamber of Commerce.
CareerReadyU is a formal partnership between the University and regional employers and/or organizations to identify opportunities for career-focused learning that will send career-ready graduates into the regional workforce. These opportunities will take many different forms, including but not limited to the development of internships and jobs, mentoring, participation in on-campus job fairs and assistance in creating career-focused curriculum to better prepare the graduate for life after college.
“As Stanislaus County’s only baccalaureate-granting institution, we recognize that attaining a college degree is a significant milestone in any graduate’s road to social, personal and professional success,” Junn said. “Under CareerReadyU, the region’s businesses and organizations will become key partners with Stan State, creating symbiotic relationships that will transform the labor market, with the ultimate goal of harnessing the talent of Stan State graduates as the building blocks of a vibrant local and regional economy.”
The leaders of the three founding partners expressed enthusiasm about getting-in on the ground floor of this promising initiative.
“On behalf of the City of Modesto, I’d like to express how proud and excited we are to be a founding partner with Stan State in this exciting new CareerReadyU initiative,” said Modesto Mayor Ted Brandvold. “One of the most important things we can do as a city is to foster and promote ways to develop a home-grown workforce — not only to boost our local businesses and economy, but to do what we can to keep our brightest young minds from taking their talents outside our region.”
Similar excitement was shared by Turlock Mayor Amy Bublak, a Stan State alumna and a member of the Warrior Athletics Hall of Fame.
“As a proud graduate of Stanislaus State, Mayor of the City of Turlock, and on behalf of the City of Turlock, I am excited about providing students internship opportunities as part of the CareerReadyU program,” Bublak said. “Interns will have the opportunity to not only get a first-hand look at how city government works, they will also be able to provide input on how government can operate more efficiently in delivering services to the residents of Turlock.”
Sue Micheletti, Executive Director of the Turlock Chamber of Commerce, said her organization stands poised to help students and the region through the CareerReadyU partnership.
“It is said by the Western Association of Chamber Executives that Chambers of Commerce function best when they serve as catalysts for business growth, conveners of leaders and influencers and champions for a stronger community,” Micheletti said. “I can think of no better way to demonstrate our commitment to these important goals than for the Chamber to enter into an MOU with the University.”