The path from classroom to career isn’t always obvious — but it doesn’t have to be navigated alone. ECOESC Career Navigators work directly with students across our member districts to help them explore their interests, connect with real-world career experiences, and build the skills and credentials that open doors after graduation.
Why Career Navigation Matters
Research consistently shows that students who engage in career exploration and work-based learning are more motivated, more likely to graduate, and better prepared for life after high school. Yet for many students — especially in rural communities — the connections between what they learn in school and what they could do in the world remain invisible.
Career navigation bridges that gap. By exposing students to diverse industries, mentors, and hands-on experiences early, we help them make informed decisions about their future rather than arriving at graduation with no clear direction. Whether a student is drawn to healthcare, skilled trades, technology, business, or the arts, a career navigator helps them turn curiosity into a plan.
What Our Career Navigators Do
Career Exploration
Navigators work with students to discover their interests, strengths, and potential career pathways — helping them connect the dots between who they are today and who they want to become.
Job Shadowing
Students spend time alongside working professionals in fields they’re curious about, gaining a firsthand look at what a career actually looks like day to day — before committing to a path.
Pre-Apprenticeships & Apprenticeships
Apprenticeship programs give students structured, paid work experience under the guidance of a skilled mentor — building real competency in a trade or profession while still in school. Pre-apprenticeship pathways prepare students to enter these programs career-ready.
Credential Attainment
Navigators help students identify and earn industry-recognized credentials and certifications that give their resumes real weight with employers — a tangible return on their time in school.
Employer Connections
We cultivate relationships with local and regional employers to create authentic opportunities for students — turning the surrounding community into an extended classroom.
Post-Secondary Planning
Whether a student is headed to college, a trade program, military service, or directly into the workforce, navigators help them build a realistic, personalized plan to get there.
The Value of Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are one of the most powerful career development tools available to students — and they’re often overlooked. Unlike traditional classroom instruction alone, apprenticeships combine on-the-job training with related technical instruction, giving students:
- Paid, real-world work experience before graduation
- A direct relationship with an employer who may hire them full-time
- Industry-recognized credentials and documented skill attainment
- A head start on a career pathway — often debt-free
- Confidence, professional skills, and a network they can build on for life
For local employers, apprenticeships are an investment in the next generation of their workforce — helping businesses in East Central Ohio grow talent right here in their own communities.
In Action
Our Team
Dr. Jeremy Vittek
Executive Director of Workforce Development & Student Wellness
Interested in Partnering With Us?
Whether you’re a district looking to expand career-connected learning opportunities for your students, or a local employer interested in hosting a job shadow, pre-apprenticeship, or apprenticeship, we’d love to connect. Reach out to our team to start the conversation.