New role will pair students with businesses

Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce and six school districts have selected a familiar face to help connect students with new work-based learning opportunities.

Shawntel Baker, who is already a chamber employee, has been selected to serve as the first countywide director of employer engagement.

School and chamber leaders designed the role to expand work-based learning opportunities for students in grades nine through 12 that also meet new state requirements.

Communities are reimagining how to best prepare students for life beyond the classroom as the state’s new high school diploma requirements take effect this fall for the Class of 2029 and beyond.

Baker is tasked with building strong connections between area businesses and schools to secure consistent, high-quality student placements with employers.

She will serve all six school districts equally (Western Wayne, Nettle Creek, Richmond, Seton Catholic, Northeastern and Centerville-Abington). Each school district is contributing toward Baker’s salary.

Over several months, school officials worked alongside chamber staff and key community partners to determine the position’s responsibilities, measurable goals and a shared long-term vision. They’re hopeful it could serve as a model for other communities.

“I’m honored to step into this role and excited to begin building stronger connections between our schools and local employers,” Baker said in the release. “I’ve seen firsthand the incredible potential of our students, and I believe that by working together, we can open more doors for them to succeed. This partnership is a powerful step toward aligning education with opportunity for every student in Wayne County.”

Baker joined the chamber in early 2023 as its director of membership and education. She has previous experience in insurance and human resources and was deputy treasurer for Randolph Southern schools.

A news release noted she was selected through a competitive application and interview process with a panel of representatives from three school districts, Economic Development Corp. of Wayne County and the chamber.

They said the lifelong county resident’s deep ties to the community, along with her current role, positioned her to bridge the gap between local businesses and schools.

Baker, a Centerville graduate, currently serves as Northeastern Wayne Schools’ board president and has had leadership positions with Northeastern’s PTO and Music Boosters. She’s also coached youth sports at both Randolph Southern and Northeastern.

Baker told WWN she would continue as school board president, and if any matters related to her position are brought before the board, she’d abstain from the vote to maintain transparency and fairness.

Baker officially steps into her new role on July 28, although she said she has already jumped in to get a head start on her duties. She said the chamber will soon add another employee to its team.

“Shawntel’s deep-rooted connections and genuine passion for advancing education make her the perfect choice to lead this important work,” said Melissa Vance, chamber president and CEO. “We were incredibly impressed by the number of passionate, qualified individuals who applied for this transformative role. It speaks volumes about our community’s commitment to preparing students for success.”

After learning about the state’s new work-based learning requirements, Centerville-Abington Superintendent Mike McCoy said he knew the county needed to come together to create eligible opportunities for students.

“When I asked for the first meeting, I had no idea where it would take us,” he said. “Working in collaboration with so many individuals and seeing true collaboration between the schools, I knew we had something special.”

McCoy acknowledged upcoming challenges in placing students throughout Wayne County in positions that meet the state requirements, but he believes “it will be just as rewarding to see our communities come together to meet the needs of these amazing kids.”

“Although I know there will be areas we will need to figure out, I truly feel we are in a good place to get the program started and prepare for a better future for our students,” he said.