Vital Link helps students explore a variety of career pathways. Many students had never known that something they love doing could actually lead to a great career. The programs, exploration events, academies, competitions, and workshops helps students experience possible jobs and understand what it takes to get there. Great team at Vital Link!
The work Vital Link does is so important to our region's economy by introducing young people to so many great career paths and helping them find their road to success with a well-paying job is sorely needed to close the middle skills gap in our region.
A wonderful organization that focuses on the students. They help students learn about careers that would help them build a secure future for themselves. By working on the programs with this organization, I've seen how Vital Link is vital to the future workforce.
Vital Link plays such a pivotal role in the OC school system. They are able to offer programs and experiences that help students understand the importance of options. Vital Link offers students a direct connection with business and college representatives that can help them navigate their future success. An amazing organization focused on building a better workforce!
I was standing in line at a ride in Disneyland with my family. We were sharing some information about my work as a Board Member and later as an employee at Vital Link, and things that we were doing to support the Career Technical Education classes at the schools. While we were talking a young man in front of us turned around and said that he had participated in Vital Link and told us about his experience. His parents said they appreciated the opportunity he had. The thing that hits me the hardest today was that in the middle of the thousands of people at Disneyland that day someone who was positively impacted by Vital Link programs was standing next to me sharing their story. Vital Link grew to serve over 30,000 students per year. I wonder after 19 years with the organization, how many people that I pass everyday are students whose education and career were helped by Vital Link? I will never know, but what I do know is the look on the faces of the students at the end of a programs and the spark that ignited within them to follow a career path that aligns with what is the best part of themselves.
I've been volunteering with this organization for over two years now and a member of the board for more than a year. The organization provides a critical service to our students in helping them explore their future careers.
We worked with Vital Link and it's team on a large scale special event. The team was incredibly responsive, communicative, and collaborative. They responded and remedied any issues we had. We had multiple means to communicate with the Vital Link Team so they were always ready to work with our team and schedule. They provided solutions and feedback that helped improve our event as well from their past experience and knowledge. This is the second year we've worked with them and they've been consistent and positive!
Throughout the pandemic Vital Link has really shined! They've shown their ability to be innovative and creative in adapting their STEM programs so that their partners have been supported and students - despite all the challenges they've endured during the pandemic - able to grow, learn, and excel. It's been a real pleasure working with Vital Link to help advance their committment to preparing our youth for their future!
Vital Link is a shining example of an organization deeply committed to advancing its mission of inspiring students to explore and experience STEM career pathways so that our youth can experience long-term success. I am honored to work alongside them in raising funds for the work they do and have been impressed by how they have continually evolved to ensure they deliver engaging STEAM-based programming that equip youth with the skills, knowledge and motivation to not only set but pursue their career goals.
I've had the honor and pleasure of working with Vital Link for the last year+, helping to raise funding to support their programs. Their ability to successfully adapt to the challenges of the pandemic and continue to not only deliver exceptional programs but also increase student engagement is a true example of their mission in action!
VL is an amazing organization and has been an integral partner to our district's launch of our first virtual college and career fair. The team is very helpful, informative, and personable. We appreciate the dedication they put into their work. We are excited to continue working with this team and launching our second virtual college and career fair!
We first started partnering with Vital Link @ 6 years ago when we were preparing to host our first Manufacturing Day. From day one, the VL team has been helpful, informative, and inclusive to the ideas and planning of this event throughout Orange County. While they experienced transition and growth, these changes did not affect their performance. Keep up the good work. We are looking forward continuing the connection as the program grows.
Vital Link does amazing work in the community. Students get the opportunity to explore everything from data analytics and robotics to developing their leadership and entrepreneurial thinking.
I've attended advisory boards where teachers get to hear from business leaders and experts about trends in hiring so we can improve our delivery of career pathway content. I've learned so much from those sessions.
This is an organization that is awesome at getting education linked with Industry. to teach students real world situations that careers go through either by field trips or by Competitions
Ron Ponce
Vital Link is an amazing organization that provides critically important career exploration and preparation opportunities for students. It's a pleasure working with them and seeing the value they not only provide to students, but to the community.
I have been associated with Vital Link for several years now, having become a volunteer because I believe the name of the organization tells a truth. That it sits as a necessary, and vital, link between our graduating youth and the business community. Its programs and events all provide tremendous opportunities for our young people to see what is required in various business roles and sectors, and can then prepare themselves better to enter that world when they are finished with their schooling.
Great organization!! They provide so many options for students from exhibitions to student programs, much to learn. BringIng a valuable experience to educational programs across the OC.
The information and educational sessions for educators are so informative! My class also really enjoyed the fieldtrip to Google!
Vital Link OC provides great support to the education and business community of Orange County by connecting the two to increase pipeline opportunities for our future workforce. From regional advisory boards where the business community advises education on current and future needs, to college and career fairs, to student leadership development opportunities. It is a pleasure to be a client and also a board member of this incredible organization.
Vital Link plays a pivotal role in connecting Education, Business/Industry, and a well-trained workforce. Their dedication to providing young students with high-tech skillsets and opportunities, and providing education partners with industry-related data and feedback provides the perfect platform by which schools/colleges can teach/train and students can be prepared for high-value career opportunities. Vital Link is absolutely the best!! VON
As past Chairman of the Board,this organization has moved forward during this turbulent time with flexibility and ingenuity. It is moving into a virtual world offering career exploration, college nights, industry days and collaborative meetings with industry sectors, colleges and high schools.
An outstanding team of volunteers supports the stellar innovative staff. Three cheers for Vital Link and for the thousands of students lives they serve. It has been a privileged to be a member of this outstanding organization.
Vital Link is an amazing organization! I have participated in many of their events as a speaker, and as a participant. They reach hundreds of thousands of students and thousands of businesses to bring together education and industry. I have met a ton of amazing professionals and inspired students at their events over the past decade. They are very well organized and capable of hosting successful events large and small. I would highly suggest working with them as a Vital Link to you, your business, or your institution!
Our district worked with Vital Link to facilitate our 1st district wide Career Roundup (Fair) in March 2020. It was wonderful to work with Brian and his staff to host this amazing event for our students, families, and community. Students from kindergarten to 12th grade could come and learn about our high school CTE pathways, network with industry representatives, learn about career pathways at our community and 4 year colleges. Students and families could also listen to guest speakers that Vital Link provided as well. It was a pleasure to work with Vital Link to produce this great Career Fair.
I have been involved with Vital Link since 2013 in many roles. My first experience with the organization was as a volunteer with a professional society who was a vendor at Vital Link's premier event, the (then named) STEM and the Arts Fair. Since then, I have gone from a volunteer, to a member of the Programs Committee, to a Board Member, Vice Chair, and I am now the Chairman of the Board. It has been a tremendous honor to serve Vital Link as I truly believe in its core mission of helping students.
What appeals to me about Vital Link is that unlike many other non-profits who's work is on the periphery or on the small scale, Vital Link is entrench on both the 50,000 foot and ground level when it comes to the students. Vital Link's key relationships with the K-12 and Community Colleges, allow it to direct targeted programs for maximum impact. In addition, its staff is fully committed to its mission to serve the students in its community. I have truly proud to be involved in this wonderful organization, and I can't wait to see what is to come in the future!
I've been volunteering with this organization for a year now and a member of the board for a few months. The staff is extremely dedicated to their work and have done an amazing job of adjusting to the realities of COVID-19. Most of their events used to be physical, they have had to pivot and rethink how they accomplish their mission of helping students connect with their future careers.
So far, they've done an outstanding job be building out a virtual event platform, keeping in touch with the audiences they serve and providing support for teachers at a time when the educational world has been highly disrupted.