By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
The Ellis County Workforce Committee discussed strategies to encourage students to join and remain in the local workforce after graduation.
The committee, led by Sarah Wasinger, president and CEO of the Chamber in Hays, recognized barriers from weak connections between schools and employers to incomplete job postings.
Several representatives from local institutions, such as Fort Hays State University, the city of Hays, and Hess Services, attended the meeting.
Several members said teachers are often unaware of job opportunities in the area. Shelly Schlitter of RANS Designs suggested retraining teachers on what the county offers.
"If we agree that it starts with kids, then it really starts with teachers," Schlitter said. "They have their job to do. They're responsible for many young lives, so how can we educate them on what their own community offers?"
The committee emphasized the importance of engaging with students at all grade levels, not just in high school or college. They discussed initiatives such as mock interviews, advisory boards and financial literacy sessions to help students understand how to evaluate compensation packages.
Wasinger also highlighted the value of internships, especially those previously funded by the Hansen Foundation.
"I would love to help rebuild that bridge because I think that was an affordable way for people to seek good talent," she said.
Liesel Sims-Staab, director of human resources at Midland Marketing, said young workers seek clear job descriptions, salary ranges and greater transparency in job postings.
"As someone younger in the workforce, if you don't post a salary range, I'm not interested," Sims-Staab said.
Wasinger said she is working with Shawn Henderson, Hays High School principal, to plan a potential job fair at the school that would also be open to students from nearby districts.
The committee noted despite growing up in a digital age, younger generations tend to prefer face-to-face interaction over online communication when exploring career opportunities.
"Believe it or not, there have been some really good studies in Generation Z about their preferred method of communication. ... It's face-to-face. That's because so much of what they do is digital. What they crave is the personal contact," said Ben Schears, FHSU vice president for economic and workforce development.
Chamber in Hays website to serve as workforce resource hub
The Chamber in Hays has added a job board section to its website.
Wasinger said most of the information will be publicly accessible, with the only restriction being the ability to post job listings.
"You can view the job postings on our website, but to actually add one as an employer, you have to be a chamber member," she said.
The hub will feature local and state job boards, as well as workforce retention resources from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
New housing study in the works
Vice Mayor Mason Ruder said the city of Hays is conducting a new housing study, which will be shared with the public upon completion. The most recent housing study was conducted in 2019.
The committee discussed collecting data to link housing development with workforce growth.
Mark Hess, vice president of operations at Hess Services, said if a survey is conducted, it should focus on workers in their family-building and home-buying years, and collect data on affordable price points.
The committee acknowledged housing challenges in the area. Members will discuss pro-business policy advocacy at different levels of government in the future.
The next workforce committee meeting is scheduled for July 29.