Alison Papenfus’ Post

As schools wind down for the summer break, it's the perfect time to deep clean and prepare for the next academic year. Thanks to Kimberly-Clark Professional, facility managers now have access to a comprehensive summer maintenance checklist. This resource is designed to ensure every corner of your educational institution is spotless and well-maintained. From proactive dispenser servicing to detailed inspection checklists, Kimberly-Clark Professional's guide covers all the essentials for a thorough summer clean-up. It's not just about cleanliness; it's about creating a welcoming and safe environment for students to return to. Check out their latest checklist and make the most of your summer maintenance!  #SummerMaintenance #FacilitiesManagement

With half term only a few weeks away, it's never too early to start planning for next term. You can update your availability easily with Class Cover. Have your commitments changed and you are looking for more flexible working options? Perhaps your new teaching role isn't due to start for a couple of months? Not registered with Class Cover? We follow a simple 5-step process to get you back in the classroom as soon as possible! Contact our expert consultants on 0808 168 4040 or email  teach@classcover.com #ClassCover #EducationRecruitment #TeachingJobs #JobsInEducation #EducationJobs #SupplyTeaching #SupplyJobs

Education should not be boiled down to a bumper sticker.   Over the last few decades, we’ve told our kids they’re only valuable if they have a college education – it’s the only path to success. And let’s all say it, it does provide students with great opportunities to build a successful life. College is good. End of story? Not exactly.   In the late 90’s and early 2000’s, high tech companies were not able to find enough qualified workers in the US to fill open high-paying tech jobs. In response, schools adjusted their curriculum to help fill the void, cutting back on art, music, shop, and trade programs to adjust to the high-tech demands. On the surface, that’s a great move. Makes sense.   Let’s fast forward to today when the law of unintended consequences kicks in. Cutting back on those programs decades ago created problems that are impacting other industries now. In a member survey by the Association of General Contractors, 77% of contractors in the construction industry report difficulties finding skilled labor. 56% are concerned the shortages will impact their ability to get work done in 2024. As GM of a commercial fire and life safety company I experienced these challenges firsthand.   As we look to maintain, rebuild, and upgrade our infrastructure with greener technologies, we need electricians and other skilled tradespeople to do the work. How many buildings are there in this country, with indoor plumbing, lights, network communications? How do we maintain them? AI may be able to do a lot of things but fixing pipes after a deep freeze isn’t one of them. The service, maintenance, and construction industries need real people and contractors are struggling to find them. We have some ideas, but those will have to wait for another time. Bottom line, trade schools are vital.   The reality: College is good, trade school is good, as are culinary schools, art schools and music schools... an educated society is good. We need diversity. Diversity of education, opinions, and experience. No more bumper sticker solutions. It’s time for real world talk.   Do you have any stories or thoughts to share? We’d love to hear them.

School’s out for summer! Enhance your summer maintenance strategy with our essential Facility Manager checklist. Learn how proactive dispenser servicing can boost efficiency and cleanliness in your school, cutting down on work orders when classes resume. http://spr.ly/6041drSDc #FacilitiesManagement #SummerMaintenance #SchoolMaintenance

✅When we talk about competency in education, we usually imagine high performing students equipped to become anything they dream to. 🤫Reading this job posting made me think we do not really have an idea of what core competencies and cross-functional are needed to be trained in secondary education for the job market, if this is what is required of a cleaning job.

Interesting read on how one school offers early Friday finishes and the ban of out-of-hours emails! #Schools #EduChat

IF YOU'RE A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR WORKING 60+ HOURS A WEEK, YOU'RE VIOLATING THE DESIGN OF YOUR JOB School Administrators, allow me to let you in on a secret...in every other profession out there, the higher up the career ladder you go, the less you do. However, in Education you’ve turned it into “the higher up you go, the more you do.” Shocking but true - there isn't another profession like yours anywhere! Fortunately, there is a way the jobs of “School Executive” and “School Secretary” have been designed to work successfully together, and when you follow the proper design of these two jobs, you get the benefits. But if you’re working 60+ hours a week, nights and weekends, overwhelmed with paperwork, not getting into classrooms, not having a fulfilling career, nor a satisfying personal life, then you and your secretary are violating the design of your jobs, and this is the price you pay. Learn about The Breakthrough Coach’s 25-year track record of teaching school administrators and their secretaries How to Work Less, Produce More and Still Get the Job Done in a Sensible School Week at https://lnkd.in/gknsWwCB #schoolleaderprofessionaldevelopment #schoolleadershipcrisis #timemanagementforschoolleaders #schoolleadergrowthmindset

This is a must read for anyone who is invested in Career and Technical Education, Workforce Development and Talent Pipelines. The author, Cole Kelley, explains their decision to bypass college for a career in HVAC. They make many great points and parents, educators, industry leaders, and government officials should pay attention to this article for three key reasons: 1. College is not for everyone, and that's ok. Much of the conversation around college centers around the financial cost, which really is about the value. But as the author shares, it's also about work/life balance, lifestyle, and demand for jobs without massive investment. 2. Alternatives to college offer legitimate career paths and don't always mean they are dark, dangerous, and dirty. I love how the author shares that their work is very technical, hands on, not likely to be disrupted by AI, and fits their aptitudes. 3. The best career fit is a very personal decision that requires introspection and support. Students need and deserve tools to help them make the best decisions about their career choices. I'm very proud of the work we've done at YouScience to help all students find the best fit based on all available data and hope we can do more, faster, to ensure all students find their path.

How can we balance exposing teens to careers in the #trades with their safety? I'm not sure Iowa got it right. I'm concerned by Iowa's recent decision to waive restrictions on hazardous work for teens. This move allows 16- and 17-year-olds to work in previously prohibited roles, including roofing and operating heavy machinery. (Like conditions that could result in amputations.) While I understand the intent to address labor shortages, we've got to prioritize the safety and well-being of young workers. Research shows teens are more likely to be injured on the job due to inexperience and still-developing cognitive abilities. Their prefrontal cortex, responsible for attention regulation, memory processing, and response inhibition isn't even fully formed into 22 years old. (Reminder to go easy on your growing children, peeps.) As leaders and mentors, we have a responsibility to create safe, nurturing environments for the next generation of workers and this isn't it. What are your thoughts on this development? Am I being too cautious? How can we ensure young workers' safety while addressing labor market challenges? #workplacesafety #youthemployment #laborlaws #safety #cleanenergy #apprenticeship #workforceplanning

If you’re a uni student wanting work or a business owner/employee looking to upskill, I ended up down the “free TAFE” rabbit hole last night & there are some interesting opportunities. Here are a few: Cert IV Allied Health: could get exercise science students working in the industry before finishing their degree. Cert III/IV Education support: if you’re studying to be a teacher, my great mate Jonathan (Jono) Manzoney has had students use the 100-hour placement to get ongoing work at a school while finishing their degree. It pays more than Maccas or Woolies, and if you’re good enough, you might get an ongoing job offer. Cert IV Training and Assessing: This is required to teach any Cert III/IV (mine cost me $5k). Throughout my bachelor's degree, I taught PTs how to be PTs (Dip. Fitness). There’s a lot of work teaching first aid courses. Dip. Of accounting: might help you run your business A heap of mental health courses will help anyone. Seems they’re eligible for any Victorian regardless of current quals: