Presentation on using business tours to connect college students with industry professionals. Presented by Corbin Robinson, 2017-18 PBL North Central Region Vice President at the 2017 ACTE VISION Conference

1. Connecting Industry & Education
Corbin Robinson, FBLA-PBL, Inc.

2. Agenda
Why Business Tours?
Tour Logistics
What I learned…
Benefits to the Business
Final Thoughts & Questions

3. Why Business Tours?
ACTE’s mission:
“The Association for Career and Technical
Education is the largest national education
association dedicated to the advancement of
education that prepares youth and adults for
careers. It’s our mission to provide educational
leadership in developing a competitive
workforce.”

4. Why Business Tours?
Agriculture,
Food, & Natural
Resources
Hospitality &
Tourism
Agriculture &
Construction
Human
Services
Arts, A/V
Technology, &
Communications
Information
Technology
Business
Management &
Administration
Law, Public Safety,
Corrections & Security
Education &
Training
Manufacturing
Finance
Marketing
Government & Public
Administration
Science, Technology,
Engineering &
Mathematics
Health Science
Transportation,
Distributions &
Logistics

5. Why Business Tours?
The soft-skills gap, according to Forbes
39% of new hires lacking public speaking skills
60% do not have critical thinking skills
44% lack leadership qualities
46% said new hires should hone their communication
skills
36% reported lacking interpersonal skills
Karsten Strauss, These Are The Skills Bosses Say New College
Grads Do Not Have, Forbes, 2016.

6. Why Business Tours?
 FBLA-PBL specific
 Our mission: “To bring business and education together in a
positive working relationship through innovative leadership and
career development programs.”
 Divisional focus
 Collegiate division – career focus
 Popular with the membership
 Anaheim, CA pilot

7. Why Business Tours?

8. Tour Logistics
 Ground work
 Utilizing warm-references

9. Tour Logistics

10. Tour Logistics
 Ground work
 Utilizing warm-references
 Ask early and clearly
 Times and dates
 Transparency
 With businesses
 Within the organization
 Promote to and sign businesses up!

11. Tour Logistics

12. Tour Logistics
 Ground work
 Utilizing warm-references
 Ask early and clearly
 Times and dates
 Transparency
 With businesses
 Within the organization
 Promote to and sign businesses up!
 Transportation
 Promote to and sign students up!

13. Tour Logistics

14. Tour Logistics
 Execution
 Provide rosters to the businesses
 Design a departure schedule
 Have someone on the ground

15. Tour Logistics
 Execution
 Provide rosters to the businesses
 Design a departure schedule
 Have someone on the ground

16. Tour Logistics
 Execution
 Provide rosters to the businesses
 Design a departure schedule
 Have someone on the ground
 Collect feedback

17. Tour Logistics
 Execution
 Provide rosters to the businesses
 Design a departure schedule
 Have someone on the ground
 Collect feedback
 Handle mishaps with ease
 Be prepared

18. Tour Logistics
 Follow-up
 Thank the businesses
 Handwritten and email

19. Tour Logistics
 Follow-up
 Thank the businesses
 Thank organization volunteers
 Tabulate and evaluate feedback

20. What I learned . . .
 . . . at the Better Business Bureau
 Non-profit
 St. Louis one of the largest
 100+ years
 Non-government regulation
 Accredited businesses do better
 They are investigators

21. Benefits to the Business
 Better Business Bureau testimonial:
 “BBB St. Louis was thrilled for the invitation to have FBLA/PBL
members tour our downtown office. The tours not only provided us
with an opportunity to show off our space and the inter-workings of
Better Business Bureau, they gave us a chance to educate students
on BBB's free services and commitment to being a leader in
marketplace trust.”

22. Benefits to the Business
 Internship Recruitment
 “Drop your resume off”
 Peabody Energy
 Goodwill
 Enjoyment

23. Final Thoughts
& Questions
 Develop promotion materials
 Promote tours to students early
 Social Media
 Website
 State Contacts
 Transparency and communication are key

24. Final Thoughts
& Questions
 Questions

25. Corbin Robinson
FBLA-PBL, Inc., North Central
Region Vice President