A new season of Rivet is coming October 1 that will help you learn how to make what you love doing into your career – through pathways outside of a four-year degree.
On this season of Rivet, hear the stories of students discovering how their interests translate to jobs … without college. Listen in as we highlight opportunities for the next generation of workers in the state’s top industries such as agriculture, insurance and health care.
Tap into the wealth of information on the American Graduate: Getting to Work website. This project was supported through a grant by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Listen to Rivet on the WOSU Public Media mobile app, on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And make sure to leave a rating and review!
TRANSCRIPT
Leticia Wiggins, Host: Getting a foot in the working world sometimes means jumping a few hurdles.
Billan Gurreh’s first day at a new career tech school meant leaving her old high school behind. She wanted a head start on dental hygienist training, but wondered if it was the right decision.
Billian Gurreh: For the first day of school, I was panicking. Oh, my gosh, I have no friends here. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’m not going to talk to anybody. I really thought I’m never going to laugh again.
Leticia Wiggins, Host: Sierra Roberts wanted to go to a four-year college for computer programing until she looked seriously at the cost and realized, well she couldn’t afford it.
Sierra Roberts: I started looking at like tuition fees and I was like, there’s no way I’m going to be able to afford, you know, to go to a four-year college and not go into thousands of dollars of debt.
Leticia Wiggins, Host: Chris Dible is a fourth-generation farmer on a family farm. He loves it, but knows it won’t be around forever, even though he wishes he could work there for the rest of his life.
Chris Dible: I know eventually this place is going to get out of my hands. I love being here. I wish it would never end, but I know it will eventually.
Leticia Wiggins, Host: Taking the next steps to find a career is challenging. It can involve the fear of a new school, a realization that a four-year degree is much too pricey or doubting that you will ever find work that’s right for you.
There are over 270,000 open jobs in Columbus alone that pay $22 dollars an hour. They don’t require a four-year degree and are in some of Ohio’s top industries. Recruiters say opportunities are out there and educators are realizing the need for skilled workers, too.
Brian Wilfong: There is a huge skills gap in the United States of America, massive one. And we I mean, we have business and industry calling us. It’s not an exaggeration to say daily, but that doesn’t mean that connecting to these future careers is easy.
Leticia Wiggins, Host: But that doesn’t mean that connecting to these future career is easy. I’m Leticia Wiggins, the host of WOSU Public Media’s podcast series, Rivet. Season two of Rivet shares more stories of young people finding success through pathways outside of a four-year degree. T
his season, we will hear about one of Ohio’s surprising top industries, how to get ahead on a career in high school and opportunities in unlikely places. Find Rivet on WOSU mobile app or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Rivet launches Tuesday, October 1st.
This project is developed with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and as part of the National Initiative, American Graduate: Getting to work.
