Brown discusses CCC’s partner employers who foot the bill for education and training to help students become better job candidates. Photo by Ethan M. Rogers

Tom Brown, CCC’s career connected learning systems navigator, helps high school students gain job skills in coordination with CCC partner employers.

In this week’s episode, host Ethan M. Rogers talks with Brown about the rising age of people taking on their first job. As fewer teens join the traditional workforce the need for job skills has increased. This has caused colleges and employers to turn to people like Brown to help bridge the gap in education as students move toward an employee mindset.

Brown also discusses many of CCC’s partner employers who are often willing to foot the bill for education and training in order to help students become the best job candidates they can be.

“For the 16- to 19-year-olds today, workforce participation has been going down steadily over the last ten years,” said Brown. “I can’t remember the percentage, but it was quite low, of the 16- to 19-year-olds who actually have a W2 job that participate in the workforce.”

You can find information about career assistance option at by contacting Brown at thomasb@clackamas.edu, and learn more about employment training on the Cougar Talk Podcast: Tom Brown -The Clackamas Print Podcast | Podcast on Spotify