Providing access to career awareness and exploration opportunities for the more than 70,000 students in Berks County continues to be a top priority for the Career Ready Berks Alliance. The Alliance is a coalition of the 18 Berks County school districts, the two career and technical centers, nonpublic schools, the Berks County Intermediate Unit, and local business and industry which includes the support of the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, the Northeast Berks Chamber of Commerce, the Berks Business Education Coalition, the Berks County Workforce Development Board, and all five of the post-secondary colleges and universities in Berks County.
Career awareness and exploration at the local level provides students in grades K through 12 a door to more informed decisions about their future, allows business and industry to keep talented youth in Berks County, and fills the economic need for a skilled workforce in our community. The alliance strongly believes that career development equals workforce development which sustains economic development for Berks County.
Over the past year, the Alliance has bolstered the Career Ready Berks (CRB) platform at careerreadyberks.org. The digital platform continues to offer Berks County educators access to over 200 businesses that have agreed to provide information, insight, and experiences to students.
New to the platform is “Career Ready Berks Superstars.” These Superstars have all progressed into successful careers after graduating from Berks County schools. Their role is to share their individual stories, including what influenced them to choose their specific career pathway. Superstars will be designated with a special “CRB Superstar” icon next to their name, allowing educators + students to easily find and connect with them.
The “Career Ready Berks Superstars” initiative is another way local professionals can share their stories and help students discover the endless possibilities available to them. Additionally, showcasing the superstars provides a great example of the teamwork and cooperation that makes Berks County unique, shining a spotlight on the bright future for those who choose to live, learn, and work in Berks County.
