The Merrill Area Chamber of Commerce and the Merrill Area Public Schools have joined forces again to educate students and others about the great businesses and job opportunities that are available right here in Merrill by unveiling two new programs.
The first program is called INSPIRE and it is a companion piece to the Career Cruising software that MAPS has used for more than a decade. The INSPIRE Program will link businesses with students throughout the State of Wisconsin as well as with job seekers through the Wisconsin Workforce Development Boards. The program launched this month in the North Central region of Wisconsin and will go statewide next year when the mandate goes into effect that all Wisconsin schools offer a career planning curriculum. Inspire will be offered throughout the state thanks to the nine Workforce Development Boards who picked up the tab on the program to make it a statewide program.
“Merrill is miles ahead of most in our region because they have been involved with Career Cruising the longest,” stated Debbe Kinsey, Merrill Chamber CEO. “Inspire will allow businesses to showcase themselves to a statewide audience of job seekers and future employees simply by being on-line with this free software program. We are encouraging all Merrill businesses to become a part of this initiative to help retain and attract new and future employees to the Merrill area.”
The second program is called Community Career Connections and starts next week. The high school has set aside 40-minute FlexPeriods every Tuesday through Friday from 9:30 to 10:10 a.m. to allow local businesses to come in and talk to students about their businesses. Businesses can talk to the students about what they do or produce, what types of jobs are available, and what training/education is needed.
Businesses can go on-line now to the MAPS website and schedule a date to talk to students. The website is www.maps.k12.wi.us.
“What better way is there for area businesses to market, seek new and future employees and tell their stories for free?” concluded Kinsey. “These programs are designed to be user friendly, tell the business story and help with the needed recruitment and talent retention that all businesses are experiencing. And it is educating our students, community and everyone in the state about Merrill businesses which is a win-win for everyone.”
For more information on these programs, contact the Merrill Chamber of Commerce at 715-536-9474.