PROGRAMS GIVE STUDENTS EXPOSURE TO THE WORK FORCE

Marie Pontillas has no doubts about her career -- she wants to work in the health care field.

"My father is a doctor, and I work in his office," said the sophomore at Perryville High School. "My career interest is in the medical field."

Pontillas spent a few hours Friday "shadowing" Southeast Missouri Hospital pharmacy director Jim Hendrickson. Also touring the hospital pharmacy facilities was Amy DeBrock, a junior at Notre Dame High School in Cape Girardeau, who has expressed an interest in pharmacy.

Pontillas, DeBrock and more than 50 other students from a dozen area high schools, learned about health care careers during the third annual "Check It Out" program, hosted by Southeast Missouri Hospital's Center for Health Careers.

Hendrickson told the two students that about 70 percent of today's pharmacy students are women, and that pharmacists "can always find a job -- part-time or full-time."

This marks the third year for the "Check It Out" program at Southeast.

The program, founded in 1991 by personnel director Debbie Bowers, is designed to give students exposure to health and medical jobs.

"As a personnel person, I have talked with many people with academic degrees and no work exposure," said Bowers. "I felt that students needed exposure to their fields. The program gives the students an opportunity to observe and to talk with people in their field."

Chrissy Auer, a senior at Notre Dame High School in Cape Girardeau, likes the program.

"This is the second year I have participated in it," she said. This year, she observed a surgical procedure.

Auer, daughter of Andy and Margie Auer, plans to attend medical school at St. Louis University and "maybe become a doctor."

Juanita Holderbaugh was no stranger to Southeast Hospital when she attended "Check It Out." "I want to become a registered nurse," she said. "Presently, I am a certified nurse assistant." She has "shadowed" at the hospital before.

Holderbaugh, daughter of Irvin and Deloris Holderbaugh, attends Cape Central High School and the Cape Girardeau Vo-Tech School, where she is a nurse's assistant student.

Kristin Owens of Jackson High School also attends the Cape Vo-Tech school. Owens, daughter of Morris and Eva Owens, wants to go into pediatrics. Friday, she accompanied Holderbaugh on the pediatrics tour.

"This year's group is the largest we've had," said Bowers. "We try to fit students in the areas they want."

"We feel our program will enhance the new national "School to Work" program which was recently signed into law by President Bill Clinton," added Bowers. "I'm impressed with the new legislation."

Bowers was in attendance at a recent teleconference presented by the Cape Girardeau Vo-Tech School and Private Industry Council explaining the new high school apprenticeship program.

"Missouri will graduate 55,000 high school seniors this spring," said Bowers. "It is important that employers be involved with giving these young people the opportunity to see what it's like in an actual work environment and to learn what job requirements are."

Mary McBride, director of the Southeast Missouri Private Industry Council (PIC), headquartered here, also is impressed with the new legislation.

"Missouri, which recently received a planning grant, is already in the middle of the planning mode for the program," said McBride. "The state is taking a multi-purpose approach."

The state is working with its social services, education, and economic development departments and labor and industrial relations groups in its planning.

"All of these entities will be involved in the program," said McBride. "Once the state has plans written, it will have a big impact on a lot of programs for young people."

The PIC has a number of programs for young people, said McBride. "I'm really excited about helping young people make better career choices."

A task force also has been formed in Illinois to develop a comprehensive system of education opportunities under the new law. Lt. Gov. Bob Kustra is chairman of the Task Force on School-to-Work Transition and has already conducted the first of five regional meetings in the state, at Rock Island.

Additional meetings are scheduled at Chicago and Peoria this month, and in Du Page County and Southwestern Illinois in June to explain the program.

"The new legislation will open doors to many new skills and career options for high school students," said Sen. Paul Simon, D-Ill., who is the chief sponsor of the bill.

"This is a `hire education' for students who may not go on to college," said Simon last week. "It will serve as a bridge between high schools and the job market in the real world. In these programs, students will learn by doing."

The new legislation will charter school-to-work in all 50 states and offers start-up venture capital to the school-business partnership that will run the programs, said Simon. Students enrolled in school-to-work courses, typically during their junior and senior years of high school, will take jobs -- usually paid jobs -- sponsored by local businesses.

The work will be guided by the workplace, and their class work will be structured to their work experience, said Simon.

"This program will add new relevance to the classroom," said Simon. "It will give students their first experience in the world of work, curb dropout rates and often lead to jobs or further training or education after high school."

The programs will be open to students whether or not they are headed for college, but are particularly targeted for students not bound for college, said Simon, who chairs the Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Productivity.

"The earnings gap is widening between those with and without college degrees," said Simon. "Half of our high school students don't go to college, and three-fourths will never earn bachelor's degrees.

"We've been helping students who go to college for years," he added. "We're overdue in helping those who do not. Now, we can give these young people some guidance and support in establishing successful careers."