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Estacada EDC plans to revive career tours, explore internships and small-business supports
Summary
Commission members agreed to restart the industrial-park career tours, discussed converting visits into paid internships and staggered schedules to accommodate attendance, and asked staff to check budgets and to bring back the hotel study and a University of Oregon study next meeting.
Members of the Estacada Economic Development Council discussed plans to repeat the industrial-park career tours held last September and to expand follow-up so student visits lead to clearer career pathways.
John, who oversees the city’s contracted economic-development support, said last year’s event was well received and gave the commission a rough attendance estimate: "I do last year, we had, I think, it was about a 140, a 150 kids, but we had close to almost 300 member that RSVP'd." Commissioners discussed logistics to handle higher turnout, including staggered time blocks (for example, 8–10 a.m. and 10–12) and additional bus coordination.
Members suggested measuring outcomes beyond the single-day event: several commissioners proposed follow-up with businesses to learn whether participating students later gained employment or internships. One commissioner raised the possibility of employers offering paid internships next summer, saying it would be "really nice to let the visiting students know, hey, if you are truly interested in one of these businesses, come and talk to us, and we'll talk about a pathway to an apprenticeship." Commissioners also proposed integrating skills-development activities at host sites (mock interviews, resume feedback, safety orientations).
On funding, members asked staff to check the commission budget for contributions toward food and other event costs; staff said budget details could be provided at the next meeting. The group also discussed partnering with the Chamber of Commerce, the downtown commission and Ant Farm as hosts or partners; members asked staff to invite a chamber representative to present at the next meeting and to check Ant Farm’s opening timeline.
Next steps: staff will pull budget figures for the commission, invite the Ant Farm and a Chamber representative to the next meeting, and schedule presentations of the hotel study and the University of Oregon study.
