| Dream
It. Do It. Conference set for March 22
More than 500 sophomore and junior high school students from 22 school districts in north-central Idaho and southeastern Washington will be participating in the fourth annual “Dream It. Do It… Here” youth conference on March 18 at the University of Idaho. The purpose of the conference, which is coordinated by the Clearwater Economic Development Association and hosted by the University of Idaho, is to educate high school students about career choices and the academic or career-technical education they will need to obtain their preferred job. It will showcase the area’s employment opportunities to encourage career choices for occupations that are needed for the future in the region. Twenty-two industry and government agencies will lead eighty-two, 30-minute breakout sessions and will share information on local occupations. They will highlight occupations in manufacturing, healthcare, technology, hospitality, business, finance, and the skilled trades. Recruiters from University of Idaho, Lewis-Clark State College, Walla Walla Community College, and Washington State University will host another 18 sessions to link students to career pathways for the local job market. Over 40 area volunteers will work the day of the conference to manage the logistics. Students will be placed in sessions based on their interests identified on their conference registration. Each student will participate in five breakout sessions – four for industry and one for education. A day of activities is also planned for 23 senior high school students that are completing their final year of a three-year career development program lead by Lewis-Clark State College. The Northwest Intermountain Metal Manufacturing (NIMM) program is a pilot initiative for area school districts providing students with opportunities to earn industry certificates in either Electro-Mechanical or Mechanical Computer-Aided-Design and Drafting (CADD). The “NIMM” workshop will run concurrent with the youth conference allowing students to travel by bus from their schools to their event. They will have a day of preparing for future employment and/or higher education and interacting with local manufacturers. The area “Dream it. Do it.” council is an alliance of education, industry, and economic development organizations who are organized through Clearwater Economic Development Association to recruit people to the local job market. More than $19,000 has been raised locally to help put on the conference. The University of Idaho is investing another $8,500 in the effort. For more information on the conference, contact Christine Frei, Executive Director of the Clearwater Economic Development Association, at 208-746-0015 or cfrei@clearwater-eda.org. |
 |