For many years, the ESC has supported districts and schools with needs related to student college and career success including co-leading the Central Ohio Compact with Columbus State Community College, the Success Network, the Business Advisory Council and its Parent and Community Awareness Workgroup, supporting pre-apprenticeship program development, providing transition services and programs for students with disabilities and much more. Due to the continued growth and focus of Central Ohio districts and schools in areas related to work-based learning and workforce development, the ESC is hiring additional expertise to assist and support.

This month, Jama Cobb (pictured on left) started her work at the ESC as a work-based learning coordinator to provide enhanced educational opportunities for students through the development of community partnerships. These partnerships will result in work-based learning opportunities that span the entire work-based learning continuum and ultimately will develop positive school and community relations to create a culture of business engagement in all programs.  Jama last worked at Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical Schools for eight years.  She spent three of those years teaching (21st Century & Financial Services) and the remaining were dedicated to career services. She also has worked in the finance department at the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services–OhioMeanJobs as a workforce development specialist.

Jama completed her formal education at Bowling Green State University where she earned a Master’s degree in education with a focus in workforce development. She is married to husband of 33 years, Mark, has a daughter Olivia (27), son, Tyler (32), wife Jenna, and grandchildren Aubrey (4) and Dawson (2).  She enjoys family, her mini-farm, boating, volunteering her time in various philanthropic organizations, and serving as a trustee to several non-profit agencies. Jama said she is eager to connect and leverage resources, build and nurture relationships, and provide support to Central Ohio districts, their students and families, and the employers we serve.

Mike Kerr (pictured on right) also joined the ESC in August as a career intervention/workforce development specialist. In this role, Mike will support districts and schools in their combined implementation of in-class educational and onsite experiential learning opportunities to build student career awareness.  In addition, he will work to strengthen connections between Central Ohio education and workforce partnerships. Mike comes to the ESC from Mount Vernon High School in Mount Vernon City School District where he served as a career-based intervention (CBI) instructor for six years. He also has worked as a teacher in the Upper Arlington City Schools, an intervention specialist for Mechanicsburg Exempted Village Schools, and currently serves as the Bexley High School head football coach.

Mike completed his formal education at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga including a Master’s degree in secondary education. He lives in Galena with wife, Kim, who teaches math at Upper Arlington High School, and his two sons, Gus (14) and Abe (12) who attend Big Walnut Local Schools. Mike said he’s excited about working at the ESC to help kids throughout Central Ohio have first-hand experiences and real-world learning opportunities.

To learn more about about how the ESC supports college and career/workforce success, please see here: https://www.escco.org/CollegeandCareerSuccess.aspx.

Jama and Mike may be contacted at [email protected] and [email protected].