Program arranges job shadowing and internships for students

By Katie Mills Giorgio, correspondent

Name: Mary Lou Erlacher

Title: Executive director

Company: Workplace Learning Connection

Address: 1030 Fifth Ave. SE, Suite 2700, Cedar Rapids

Phone: (319) 398-1040

Website: www.workplace-learning.org

Elevator speech: “We all learn better when we understand why we need to pay attention to the lessons.”

Mary Lou Erlacher's children are grown. But she still gets excited at the start of a new school year.

Erlacher serves as the executive director of Workplace Learning Connection, a local not-for-profit partnership founded by Kirkwood Community College and the Grant Wood Area Education Agency that provides work-based learning activities for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. It partners with companies to serve 33 public and private school districts in 7 counties.

“We're a tool for career, future work force, and economic development,” Erlacher said.

Last year Workplace Learning Connection was involved with more than 20,000 students in every school district in its region.

“To kick off this school year, we will be presenting our job-shadow and internship opportunities to juniors and seniors in all high schools in Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn, and Washington counties,” Erlacher said.

Businesses provide hands-on learning activities for the children through classroom speakers, worksite tours, career fairs, job shadows and academic internships.

For younger children, programs include what she deems “mini-career fairs based on a theme of vehicles, uniforms (and) tools, such as Careers on Wheels, Awesome Uniforms, Tools of the Trade. The career host talks about how she or he uses ‘school skills' every day - math, reading, writing - and important personal skills such as, listening, following directions, working together, getting to work/school on time, attendance.”

Her earlier education experience still influences her approach today.

“Through my work as a teacher of the hearing-impaired and students with dyslexia, I realized the importance of making education experiential and relevant for all children,” Erlacher said. “We all learn better when we understand why we need to pay attention to the lessons.”

Daily activities vary for Erlacher, ranging from fundraising - which can be difficult in uncertain economic times, she said - to planning, trouble shooting and, always, relationship-building. She oversees 10 employees working out of Cedar Rapids and Iowa City offices.

“We have been deeply involved in a strategic planning process for the last year and a half, and will remain in that mode through this year,” Erlacher said.

“The restructure, while difficult, will be good for all of us. It shakes us up and lets us see where we can be more efficient and effective while enjoying the work even more.”

If Erlacher had access to something like the Workplace Learning Connection as a young girl, her own career path might have been different.

“I loved astronomy, even though that wasn't an official school subject,” she said. “A friend and I set up our own ‘observatory' in the attic of her garage.

“I grew up in the era of Sputnik and the space race, which was a great time for a girl with her head in the stars.”

 To be considered for “My Biz,” contact business editor Michael Chevy Castranova, michael.castranova@sourcemedia.net.