SANDPOINT — Concerned community leaders gathered over lunch Wednesday to brainstorm solutions to a growing disconnect between young adult career readiness and job opportunities.

"A troubling gap ... exists between the skills and knowledge of the country's current and projected workforce and the demands of jobs expected to grow most rapidly during the next decade," according to the U.S. Department of Education. "Challenges include low rates of student persistence and completion, and insufficient alignment between education standards and workforce expectations."

Attendees at the meeting of the North Idaho Education Project, which took place at the Sandpoint office of the Idaho Department of Labor hosted by Bridgette Bradshaw-Fleer, office manager, discussed strategies for narrowing the gap and engaging individuals between the ages of 18 and 25 in secondary education and/or career training programs.

Community members are participating in planning sessions to pinpoint a project for possible funding by a College Access Challenge Grant, said Educate Idaho coordinator Shannon McGuire.

The federal grant program aims to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in post-secondary education, according to the department.

The state of Idaho's program goal aligns with the federal goal of raising the percentage of people ages 25-34 with post secondary degrees to 60 percent, said McGuire.

She was on hand at Wednesday's meeting to guide the assembled community advisory group in the next step in the initiative.

The first planning meeting for the North Idaho regional group took place in January 2016. During a February meeting, participants helped consolidate initial ideas into a single initiative. A final meeting will take place April 27 in Coeur d'Alene where attendees will finalize the grant application.

At Wednesday's meeting, the group discussed how to consolidate existing programs into a single source for adult readiness, enabling a smooth transition for residents caught in limbo between being students and embarking on careers.

A successful bridge project would benefit the entire community, McGuire said. Outcomes such as stronger partnerships between the business and education sectors, improved prospects for the area's working poor, maximizing underutilized social resources and coordinating support for use are all possible.

The group brainstormed ways to connect businesses needing workers and workers looking for jobs. Local businesses are having difficulty filling job openings with qualified workers, even firms offering apprenticeships, according to Tommy Groff of Idaho Forest Group.

Kate McAlister, president and CEO of the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce, offered to help liaise between businesses and job seekers. 

The group also discussed how to connect people with local job fairs such as Hard Hats, Hammers and Hot Dogs in Coeur d'Alene. Sandy Ashworth, director of Boundary County Library, mentioned the upcoming Boundary County Youth Project Business Fair, which takes place at the Pearl Theater in Bonners Ferry. 

Jeralyn Mire, Sandpoint High School post-secondary transition counselor, offered to incorporate the bridge initiatives into her senior programs. Participants agreed that linking employers and schools is a critical component of the project.

The question of where to headquarter the program brought several suggestions, including libraries such as the Sandpoint branch of the East Bonner County Library and the Bonners Ferry Library because they are non-threatening environments. Participants also suggested allying with the chamber, the Bonner Community Food Bank and Sandpoint Community Resource Center to expand the project's outreach.

Information: http://www.educateidaho.org/