Finding the Pathway to Success

It’s hard to argue that the combination of being a Commercial Banker and Mom is what compels me to find solutions to abstract and complex issues.

Recently having conversations with other parents at graduation celebrations, and then also attending events that speak to state and municipal budgets, I find common themes in many conversations that focus on our youth and their pathways to success. I find parents seem supportive of “bringing back the trades” which I’m happy to hear – BUT at the same time I remain saddened by how often assumptions seem to have bias specifically as it relates to an education pathway that I’ve passionately supported for many years.

While I’ve long been, and will remain, an advocate for all skilled trades and youth apprenticeship – I would be remiss if I did not continue to highlight the success and opportunity being created for the next generation of our business leaders through programs such as Dual Enrollment Academy in Waukesha County.

I’ll sight efforts between Waukesha County Technical College and many of the public High Schools throughout Waukesha County to serve as an example of success. Participants become prepared by exploring paths of lifelong learning in meaningful STEM fields that are vital to our future. No doubt this effort will continue to contribute to a vibrant Great Lakes economic ecosystem.

Further, having awareness that the UW System, MSOE and other post-secondary institutions have taken an active role in “redefining” a variety of routes that students may take to obtain the post-secondary education needed to succeed in today's highly specialized career fields, it is this supportive collaboration that helps to form my favorable opinion of this program. I suspect parents may be looking to better understand the new framework for post-secondary education that is unfolding. Dual Enrollment is not wide-spread or consistent among all WI School Districts. Perhaps the offering is still too new to become fully understood or appreciated by parents in other regions/districts but I'm hopeful that the success we are seeing in my back yard at Oconomowoc Area School District can offer some inspiration and new ideas.

Dual enrollment is not simply a pathway to “the trades” being the point I draw attention to most frequently. ?This High School experience offers our youth an opportunity to explore college level subject matter that might become the key to unlocking a child’s interest in advanced math (including trig, algebra, statistics) – or may unlock an interest in physics, chemistry, or perhaps even psychology where added context may aid a student in understanding more complex and advanced subject matter.

Having the opportunity to see at an earlier age how classes in advanced math apply in the real world is something I hear many 40-year old’s say “they wish they saw at a younger age” since it would have influenced them to find their career or their calling at an earlier stage in their own life – with much less frustration (and far less student debt). As I speak to those in their late 20’s and 30’s, the same commentary holds true, and they are often happy to see this type of innovation in education coming to fruition for younger siblings and generations to follow.

I’ll often point out that careers in robotics and industrial automation could lead our youth to explore more than “just manufacturing” careers. Opportunities in robotic medicine is something that I’ll often cite in this regard, where I’m inclined to think that having some exposure to Pre-Nursing curriculum while also having a chance to explore Automation Systems Technology [through field trips in middle school] it becomes possible that one of us might find our child or grandchild to be part of the next amazing medical breakthrough a few years from now.

If we as parents, along with our educators, start to ask our children “What is it about _____ that interests you?” perhaps before long we will start to see post-secondary degrees begin to align with the chosen career fields [for our grandchildren’s generation].

Personally, I joke that my career field found me, and that it’s being a Commercial Banker that supports the working capital needs of companies in diverse industries that often gives me foresight to ask good questions in a business setting. For years I’ve discussed what comes next, as a challenge or opportunity, within many industry verticals experiencing supply chain disruption in various forms throughout the Midwest. Increasingly, much becomes reliant on automation and having a skilled workforce that can think critically in many disciplines. At times critical thinking itself seems to have gone by the wayside as a skill held in high regard, but I'd argue it remains a vital necessity in operations for all fields.

In my last article I talk about the rapid rate of change, and this remains one of my most noteworthy observations. Progress will require innovation, education methods and pathways included, as we consider the big picture and how our region fits into and competes in this [small] global economy. For the “seasoned” business leaders/parents/community partners that may be reading [AKA those of us in our 50’s+] you may recall from back in our day: School Admins paid much attention to the top of our graduating classes and encouraged IP/AB coursework. On the flip side, school counsellors/advisors also needed to give much attention to those challenged with dropping out of HS, to help save them from failing. Sadly, this left the vast majority of us to “figure it out on our own”, generally speaking. We were encouraged to attend University to buy more time while figuring out which career field we might want to try for our long-term career as we continued to mature while away at school. The old college experience was often framed as a good way to try “adulting” without direct oversight daily from our parents. Through trial and error many would find their way - but at a much lower annual tuition rate, causing us to not worry about selecting the right major right out of the gate.

Also, while on the topic of the two extremes that many of us may relate to from our days in high school, I was reminded just last week of the old “scared straight” tactics that had been attempted over many years to keep kids from making bad decisions. This topic came up when I was doing some volunteer work last week in Milwaukee, during an interview with a participant seeking to find a better future.?Comparing notes with this candidate, we agreed that instilling fear as a tactic may not have proven to be as effective as helping kids/young adults find positive inspiration long term. We agreed that it’s not a bad idea to talk about the consequences of poor life choices – but too often it seems that adults [or those in charge at the time] want to show our youth the extremes as examples. From our vantage point, and short discussion last week, more emphasis should be on providing positive inspiration that seems to be lacking for “the majority” of our young students when we try to find a common theme among a variety of situations. This particular conversation last week concluded with a statement I make often: “Outcomes are nothing more than a series of choices made over time” – I’ve said this consistently over many years as a Commercial Banker, Mom, and as a volunteer trying to make a difference by “doing” in our community.

I guess in any of these regards, I’ve learned to look at situations from where things stand “today”, while confirming where a business or individual would like to go. Then, starting from the stated goal, I ask if we can collectively work backward to visualize the series of choices that should be made to get to that target. At times, it’s hard to believe that obvious answers are in plain sight - but when the proper answer may include a "change from how things have always been done" I think many people now realize how easy it can be for individuals to become blind to alternate possibilities, but I digress.

Coming full circle to the point of my post today. I’m an advocate for innovative pathways leading to post-secondary education and lifelong learning to meet the needs of tomorrow.

Success is achievable for anyone inspired to put in the effort, but a good support network increases probability of success, no doubt. Clearly, my personal observation and experience formulate my opinions, but continually I’m appreciative to have the opportunity to provide my thoughts while also gaining the insight needed to understand other points of view. It’s often through collaboration and discussion that great progress can be made in so many situations.

I once heard “a child can’t be what they can’t see”, and I tend to agree with this for many reasons. So often in business, when I get into the weeds reviewing a forward-looking statement for one of my Commercial & Industrial Clients [seeking financing to automate the mundane aspects of their business operation] it does not take long before we start talking about how to inspire our next generation of future leaders while creating a robust workforce. We talk about Dual Enrollment, and conclude it would be great if more parents, students, and public/private business leaders consider the benefits of this educational offering which has been in the making for the better part of 10 years in Waukesha County!

Some added context to consider as I wrap up my post for today:

• With advanced technology influencing so many industries, it’s my belief that if more parents and students had a better understanding of what Dual Enrollment Education could mean to the success of our future generations – we would appreciate that by allowing our youth to visualize Chemistry, Physics, and Advanced Math in practice; it would allow advanced subject matter to “sink in” to foster a strong foundation an early age. When folks say some kids benefit from “hands on learning”, I take this figuratively which may broaden the scope – don’t think hands on in terms of using a hammer. Think of a child seeing complex and subjective thought process that stimulate a growing mind when hearing “hands on learning” and this phrase may take on new and more expansive meaning the next time you hear it used.
• I doubt that there are many 14- & 15-year-olds out there who give much thought to molecular compounds and bonding agents – or how trigonometry becomes applicable to something they may choose as a career field later in life. When hearing about bonding agents – what comes to your mind? Did you think about welding, or did you think about pharmaceuticals, and in either regard would you think about how important chemistry is? What questions could we ask to help a child discover what part of a particular science has them intrigued?

Being a parent [with an amazing, blended family of 5 successful young adults]; having provided many multi-million-dollar credit facilities to closely held middle-market operating companies over the years, while volunteering in the Wisconsin communities I serve - I can say with conviction that it was a "disruptive moment" that often led to much of the best innovation! I have found this to be true in almost every facet of life applying retrospect to the last 30 years.

My advice to the class of 2023, and beyond, as we work through the disruptions of today: ?

• Learn from each attempt you make while trying.
• Know that you will never go wrong by doing what is right.
• The right path may take the longest when striving to reach your ultimate destination - but maybe that is because you are destined to go farther than the opportunities you could comprehend to be possible as a child.