Just this August, Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO) announced the addition of Larry Holeman as its first Redmond Internship Coordinator, a newly created position to serve the greater Redmond area.
In this role, Holeman will be responsible for connecting high school, college and university students with Redmond area employers with the purpose of creating or continuing internships that provide real work experience to young adults. The program, Youth Career Connect – Redmond, is supported by Better Together, a non-profit founded through the High Desert Education Service District (HDESD) and is underwritten by the region’s school districts, Central Oregon Community College (COCC), OSU-Cascades, private foundations, and public grants. Specific funding for the Youth Career Connect – Redmond program is provided by the Redmond Executives Association (REA), COCC, the Central Oregon STEM Hub, the Youth Development Council, and EDCO.
The Youth Career Connect internship program launched this year in three local communities: Redmond, Bend (through the Bend Chamber of Commerce) and Jefferson County (through the Madras/Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce). It is the culmination of more than four years of behind-the-scenes work with education, business and economic development leaders across the tri-county region.
Youth Career Connect is a centralized, streamlined program where employers, educators and students can go for internship and work-study resources.
“The support of this initiative from the community has been just incredible,” noted Holeman. “This much-needed internship program will help provide a better prepared work force emerging from our local communities. For me, this is an exciting opportunity where I can bring my past experiences in the business and technology sectors to an effort that benefits everyone in the community, while also giving our youth a clearer vision for their future career path.
“After only a few weeks on the job it is clear to see that employers and schools in Redmond are ready for this solution,” stated Holeman. “Several companies are already eager to host interns and I am working with the local schools to get candidates for placement. I am really looking forward to engaging with the Redmond employers, educators and students to see this program succeed.”
Holeman’s experience includes private sector leadership and management in the high technology and manufacturing industries. For 15 years he was a technical staff member for ARGOSystems, a subsidiary of Boeing. Additionally, he co-founded ViewNow, a Bend-based video on demand programming, management and marketing company that sold to Avail Media. Additionally, he has performed business and product development and operations management services for several manufacturing companies including Gitella, Inc., Vent Pro, Inc. and Cray Water Sports International, Inc.
“We are excited about Larry’s diverse business experience and passion for connecting young adults and employers,” said Roger Lee, EDCO’s CEO. “I’m convinced that he will build a robust internship program in Redmond that is a win for both students and employers.”
Growing up on a farm in eastern Oregon, Holeman learned the meaning of working hard at an early age. Holeman holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from San Jose State University. He has been a Central Oregon resident for over 20 years, and with his wife, raised three daughters in the region. Active in the community, he has been a co-facilitator for Opportunity Knocks and is a member of EDCO’s Stable of Experts, focused on helping early stage companies
youthcareerconnect.org
