AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) – Amarillo College announced that it will host an Employer Summit on Monday to honor the contributions of area businesses in the past year to support work-based initiatives for AC students in the STEM, Business, Childcare, Education and Creative Arts fields.

According to the college, the Employer Summit will run from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Monday in the College Union Building at the AC Washington Street campus. This comes after the first summit of this kind was held last May and focused on industries aligned with AC’s technical education programs.

The college noted that lunch will be served, attendees will be recognized and students and faculty will describe their work-based experiences during the summit. Further, AC said that some area business leaders will participate in a panel discussion about industry trends and what abilities and attributes employers deem most appealing for entry-level applicants.

“Our local business community and the members of our Business and Leadership Councils have been indispensable partners in our mission to prepare our students for success in an ever-evolving workforce,” said Ryan Francis, AC’s Perkins Activity Coordinator, “Our Employer Summit serves as a platform to acknowledge and celebrate the exceptional contributions of our esteemed workforce partners, as well as facilitate meaningful conversations to help shape the future of our education and industry collaborations.”

College officials described that this event will tie in with its strategic plan aimed at aligning student degrees and certifications with market demand.

“Our partners offer our students invaluable experiential learning opportunities that not only open the door for their entry into careers but at the same time fill gaps in the workforce that reinforce and help to ensure economic growth,” Francis said.

More information on AC and its programs can be found on the college website.