Overland Park Schools Prepare Students for the Workforce

Samantha Bishop

Real-world learning and career readiness in schools form the cornerstone of the Overland Park region’s workforce development efforts, effectively bridging the gap between education and employment.

By equipping students with practical skills, industry knowledge and hands-on experiences, the four school districts that serve Overland Park, Kansas – Blue Valley, Shawnee Mission, Olathe and Spring Hill – prepare future workers to meet the evolving demands of the job market.

Helping build that bridge from classroom to careers is the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce, which works to connect business leaders and schools to introduce students to local, in-demand career paths. Courtney Cavlovic, workforce project coordinator for the Overland Park Chamber, shares more about the region’s real-world learning programs and the role these partnerships play in workforce and economic development.

What are examples of real-world learning opportunities available to students in the region’s school districts?

There are so many exciting real-world learning opportunities available to students. Schools bring in guest presenters who share their career journeys and provide insights into different industries.

Students also have access to job shadowing and client-connected projects that allow them to collaborate with classmates on research projects tied to real-world challenges.

Businesses even partner with schools to create unique opportunities for students. For example, Olathe Public Schools’ honors biology classes partnered with the Alzheimer’s Association on a research and marketing project. The students used their creativity and skills to create marketing materials, ranging from board games and books to videos and podcasts.

Why is it important for students to have these opportunities?

It’s really important for students because it helps prepare them for their future careers. When I was in high school, we spent most of the time in the classroom learning from teachers, reading textbooks and listening to presentations. But opportunities like these get students out into the field, doing hands-on learning and working with real business professionals, which is so valuable.

Overland Park Chamber of Commerce

In what ways does incorporating these programs help increase academic interest and participation?

Incorporating these programs has really helped increase student interest in going to school. For many, it shows them the value of learning and being there every day. It also opens their eyes to careers they might never have considered before because they’re getting exposed to different companies.

I’ve seen this first-hand at career fairs, where I’ve set up a table for the chamber as a resource, and students are often surprised by what we do. They don’t always realize the variety of businesses and jobs out there beyond the big-name companies they know. They get to try things out, which is a great way to explore careers before committing to a specific path. It’s like a try-before-you-buy approach to learning about jobs.

How do these programs involve the Overland Park business community? And what role does the chamber play in connecting education and business?

Businesses are absolutely essential. Without them, these opportunities can’t just happen. That’s why the chamber developed my role, where I focus on what we call the early talent pipeline, working with high school students and connecting them with businesses.

My job is about being a connector, sharing an overview of the programs, learning more about each business and showing them how they can get involved. From there, I help connect them with the school districts to make the opportunities happen.
How do these programs benefit Overland Park’s workforce development efforts?

These programs expose students to different careers and help them build the skills they’ll need in the future. Workforce development isn’t always about filling immediate needs; it’s about thinking long term and building a pipeline of talent for the future.
These programs also teach students essential job skills, like communication, showing up on time and dressing appropriately for the workplace, things that aren’t always intuitive to high school students. It’s about preparing them for any career, even if they don’t end up pursuing the field they originally thought about.