Austin Slater, a graduating student from the Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas, is the Communications Manager for Be Pro Be Proud, an initiative led by the Associated Industries of Arkansas that that connects students across the state to high-tech, high-paying careers.
At a time when many graduates are beginning their job searches in earnest, Slater has been working full-time with Be Pro Be Proud since October 2020, sometimes logging as many as 60 hours per week on top of his work as a student at the Clinton School.
“It has been difficult to balance work and class, especially during weeks with larger time commitments due to projects and such,” Slater said. “But, this is the kind of work that I hoped attending the Clinton School could help me break into, and when the opportunity presented itself, I wanted to make it work. While the balance and workload has been substantial, I believe it has been the right decision for me.”
Founded in Arkansas in 2016, Be Pro Be Proud is best known for its mobile workshops, a unique traveling initiative that brings information and opportunities on skilled trades directly to students, schools, and organizations across the state.
The workshops feature an 18-wheeler that showcases a variety of workforce opportunities in video, virtual reality, and interactive settings, allowing attendees to gain a better understanding of the daily work done in fields such as construction, computer programming, equipment operation, commercial trucking, and plumbing, among others. The operation has been such a success that, in January, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson approved a $1.4 million grant to expand Be Pro Be Proud’s mobile workshops’ travel operation.
“I believe that investment in economic development can unlock the potential of so many communities in Arkansas,” Slater said, pointing to the recent $3 billion investment in Mississippi County made by United States Steel. “When these companies expand and look at Arkansas, we have to have a qualified workforce to welcome them and to thrive.”
Working with an organization focused on economic development is a natural continuation of Slater’s public service interests and experience. As an undergraduate at Arkansas State University he worked as patient ambassador for the Arkansas Children’s Fund. Those efforts led to the creation of Howlathon, a Children’s Miracle Dance Marathon at ASU for which he served as Executive Director. He completed internships with Wynne Economic Development, the Cross County Chamber of Commerce, and the Delta Center for Economic Development at ASU.
“The Dance Marathon programs raise funds through a peer-to-peer fundraising platform engaging college students to use their networks to expand outreach,” Slater said. “(The Delta Center for Economic Development) served a region of counties in northeast Arkansas and provided resources such as cost-benefit estimates, feasibility studies, and strategic planning.”
In addition to tapping into his personal interests, Slater’s work with Be Pro Be Proud is influenced by his own experiences growing up in Woodlawn, Ark., and the technical careers of his own family.
“I have seen the incredible quality of life that technical careers like my parents’ can provide,” said Slater, whose mother worked with the local water utility and father worked with the Arkansas Department of Transportation. “Especially now, while Arkansas is experiencing a severe worker shortage in industries like construction, manufacturing, transportation and utilities.”
Showcasing the benefits of the many technical careers in Arkansas is at the heart of Slater’s position. He oversees all internal and external communications for Be Pro Be Proud, managing its social media, content production, and website development. He drafts and executes outreach for Be Pro Be Proud’s grassroots and student audiences and serves as the lead contact for event planning and promotions. Slater noted the influence of the Clinton School’s academic curriculum on his work, with courses like Program Planning and Development and Program Evaluation, as well his team-based Practicum project as a first-year student with the Central Arkansas Library System.
“Practicum taught me to work in teams of people that are very different,” Slater said. “Dr. Bavon’s class has been incredibly effective in my application of them in communications practices – measuring social campaigns, media placement planning and strategy. Another aspect of the Clinton School’s impact on me has been in my view of the communities and outreach that we are visiting.”
For Slater, the ultimate goal of his work is to share the success stories of technical careers, allowing young students to pursue jobs they love without taking on the burdens of excessive student debt.
“I love getting to measure the impact that Be Pro Be Proud has on students and communities,” Slater said. “And I love watching state legislatures and industry leaders take notice that there is a new generation of workers on the rise.”
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