High school seniors are entering the workforce in the near future. Job searching can be tedious, and after obtaining a job, working to higher ranks can be challenging. However, teachers and guidance counselors at SHS are doing their best to make it less stressful with a certificate provided by the governor of Indiana.
The Governor’s Work Ethic Certification is being presented to students with the correct credentials with the hope that this award will allow for a more successful future in the workforce.
“You can attend, you can work well (with) others and with a team, you communicate, you come prepared, you ask questions,” guidance counselor Tricia Bender said. “All those go with the work ethic certification because those are all very vital and important things for students in the workforce today.”
All senior students should have received an email explaining the award. In order to be able to qualify to receive the certification, they need to have at least a 2.0 GPA and a 97% attendance rate which, according to Bender, is the kicker for some students. Once qualified, students will need to have at least six hours of community service. After all of that is complete, students will get mailed the certification in the mail by the school, signed by the governor himself.
Businesses have agreed to partner, such as manufacturing, early childhood and automotive, with the certification. Once students have earned the certification, graduate and go into the workforce, businesses can see that these students have good work ethic. So these businesses could give rewards to this worker, with this award, such as shorter hours, higher pay or more vacation days.
“Business partners have agreed to say, ‘Okay if I see a student or person who has earned the Governor’s Work Ethic Certification, I know that they are going to show up on time, I know it’s worth my investment to invest in them. So they are investing back,’” Bender said.
Last school year, this opportunity was only given to students in the School to Career program, though with the small number of students to receive the certification, only one graduated with it. This school year, the staff wanted to improve that statistic and give the same opportunity to other seniors in hopes that the number of graduates with the certification will grow. Now there are over 56 students that are in the process of receiving the certificate.
Senior Azya Guerrero was a little hesitant to agree to this because she hadn’t heard of this certification before. However, she is glad she received it.
“I’m hoping that eventually after obtaining the certification if I ever decided to get a certain job it does look better on your resume and it does look really good that you took the effort and time to do the volunteer work,” Guerrero said.