During a panel discussion, Angie Kamath, CUNY university
dean for Continuing Education and Workforce Development, highlighted the
university system’s efforts to increase student experiences that build social
capital and introduce students to new networks through internships and career
exploration opportunities like EOW. JFF Vice President Michael
Collins noted EOW’s valuable role in empowering students to navigate the
workforce system—and the biases that may exist within it.
Ethnographies of Work helps to break down barriers among employers, educators, and
communities to open career opportunities for young people. And students aren’t
the only ones who benefit. Working with
local institutions like Guttman, employers can strengthen their talent
pipelines over the long term. Education innovations like EOW set
up students for lifelong success and are crucial for advancing social mobility.
This work started at Guttman, but the June convening was a crucial step toward
bringing its benefits to more schools, students, and communities.
In the coming months and years, the conference hosts
will stay in touch with those who participated in the convening as they adapt
EOW to their own settings and spread the word about it. While replicating EOW
may not suit all educational institutions, it makes a very important
statement—"work” is a central human endeavor that should be brought from
career services to the center of the curriculum.
To learn more about the Ethnographies of Work project,
go to Guttman Community College
Abby Jo Sigal is CEO of HERE to HERE, a Bronx-based career pathways nonprofit