How Andrea Smith is building a career-connected future at North Point ESC

How the region of the North Point Educational Service Center (ESC) is using data to ensure every student is career-connected and ready for life

In North Central Ohio, opportunity doesn’t always show up at a student’s doorstep. Many students grow up surrounded by the same industries, the same job paths, and the same expectations, generation after generation. Andrea Smith believes that reality shouldn’t define a student’s future.

As Superintendent of North Point Educational Service Center (ESC) in Sandusky, Ohio, Andrea leads a regional organization that supports 27 mostly rural school districts and more than 38,000 students across four counties. Her work sits at the intersection of education, workforce, and community—and her mission is clear: make sure every student understands what they’re capable of and where that can take them.

“It’s our job in our region to help students understand what they can be,” Andrea says. “Regardless of their background, we want them to know what exists out there for them.”

That belief is what drives North Point’s career exposure pipeline, and why Andrea and her team rely on YouScience® Aptitude & Career Discovery as the foundation for informed, equitable decision-making.

A regional approach to career exposure

North Point ESC doesn’t approach career readiness as a single program or one-off experience. Instead, Andrea and her team have built a data-informed pipeline that connects students to progressively deeper career experiences, based on what students are naturally wired to do well.

Each year, North Point gathers aptitude and interest data from YouScience across its districts. That data is compiled by district, then aggregated by county and aligned to career clusters and regional workforce needs.

From there, the data informs nearly everything:

• Which students are invited into career camps and skills academies
• How CTE programs recruit and place students
• Where job shadows, internships, and employer partnerships are focused
• How teachers design lesson plans and real-world learning experiences

From aptitude to action: Camps, job shadows, and internships

One of North Point’s most impactful strategies is its skills academies and business career camps. These experiences place students directly into environments aligned with their aptitudes including advanced manufacturing, healthcare, technology, and other in-demand Ohio industries.

After the camps, students move into job shadowing experiences, again aligned to their aptitude profiles. Before and after each experience, North Point surveys students to understand how their perceptions shift and whether they want to pursue longer-term internships.

The results speak for themselves:

• 31% increase in student job shadowing participation
• 40% increase in student internship participation following best-fit career camp placement
• 36 students hired by local employers in a single academic year after aptitude-aligned experiences

Strengthening local communities through talent alignment

For Andrea, this work isn’t just about students, it’s about keeping communities strong.

“For students to see what’s out there with local businesses—every business is starving for employees,” she says. “We have a chance to keep kids here in our local communities.”

Local employers feel the difference too. When businesses see students arrive with demonstrated aptitudes aligned to their industry, the conversation changes.

“Businesses are hungry because they’re looking for this workforce,” Andrea explains. “When they see students who show aptitude, they get excited. Now they’re more interested in helping arrange experiences.”

That alignment has helped North Point grow trust with employers and deepen partnerships—creating a virtuous cycle of opportunity for students and workforce stability for the region.

Building confidence and reducing anxiety

Perhaps the most meaningful impact Andrea sees is less tangible, but no less powerful: confidence.

“So many students flounder after high school,” she says. “Why not give them a tool that takes the anxiety out of it? Why not help them step forward into life with excitement and a positive experience?”

Since 2018, North Point ESC’s use of YouScience has contributed to:

• A 75% increase in student interest in high-demand careers
• Nearly 40% increase in awareness of computer science careers
• 700% growth in district adoption of aptitude-based guidance in six years

These aren’t just metrics—they’re indicators of students seeing themselves differently.

A leader who believes in people

Andrea’s leadership philosophy mirrors North Point’s mission: Championing Education for every child, classroom, and community.

Her own journey—from elementary teacher to superintendent—grounds her work in empathy and respect for educators.

“We have 300 employees working across our districts,” Andrea says. “Our people are the heart of what we do.”

She adds, “Our staff are champions of education. I’ve watched them do extraordinary things under difficult situations. There is no more important work than what we do.”

Every student, connected and ready

Andrea Smith’s work at North Point ESC is proof that when educators are empowered with the right data, they can change trajectories—not just for students, but for entire communities.

By grounding career exposure in aptitude and interest data, North Point ensures that every student is career-connected and ready for life—to explore, to choose, and to thrive.

Ready to build a career-connected pipeline in your region?