It’s 8:15 a.m. on a summer Wednesday.

William Fralick, president of National Security Bank, sits in a classroom-cum-conference room at the Clark Early Learning Center, at a table with the district personnel and community business leaders who constitute the Springfield City Schools Business Advisory Council.

He’s telling the story of a young man who applied for a job at the bank with entry-level qualifications.

The only problem? The applicant expected to be a vice president.

“A lot of what we’re hearing today is that when employers start with entry-level people there’s certainly an air of entitlement that they’re dealing with,” said Springfield board member Jamie Callan, who has been appointed to the BAC since his election in 2007. “For business owners, that’s somewhat frustrating that you have candidates that are coming in that don’t have an understanding of the business yet they believe they are entitled to a higher position that an entry level position.”

Written into Ohio law in the mid-90s, business advisory councils were a stepping stone to the state’s aims of creating links between schools and the business community to provide meaningful, hands-on experience for students.

Dan McGregor, chairman of the board for McGregor Brothers Holding, has held a seat on the district’s group for nearly 15 years.

“The vitality of the BAC, it kind of ebbs and flows,” he said.

At this time, Springfield’s BAC consists of some district employees, two board members and 13 business leaders, three of whom are appointed by the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce.

“The purpose is to make sure that school systems keep that link to the business world and that we’re providing the kind of education that produces students that are ready to go out and work in the real world,” said board President Donna Picklesimer, who joined BAC in January.

Participating on the BAC can give business leaders in the community an opportunity to affect change in the school system, district officials say.

“They act as a sounding board for us,” said Picklesimer. “They are often very vocal voices in the community so they can help spread the message. They also keep us grounded. They are kind of like a reality check.”

“They also have some input to the board about what their needs are,” Callan said. “Essentially the kids that you’re graduating are going to be the employment pool that a lot of these local business are getting their employees from.”

McGregor calls service on the council “somewhat self-serving.”

“The kids in school are our future potential employees so we want to have that connection,” he said. “Our source of employees is families and students and people that live in the community so really we have an interest in how kids really look at opportunities in manufacturing.”

Providing the basic skills students need to be successful in the workforce is crucial, said Pickelsimer.

“That’s actually more important than being able to meet some of our state standards. We’ve got to be preparing our students to get out there in the real world.”

Input from businesses is the best way to identify those skills.

“The businesses know what they need now and into the future and we have to be preparing our students now for who they have to be and what their skills have to be maybe 10 or 15 years out,” Picklesimer said.

The school system has not always been open to the council’s input, said McGregor.

“There’s a culture there that ‘This is the way they do it’ and they don’t want to learn how to change,” he said. “I don’t think there’s a lot of receptivity and it’s basically a cultural system.”

But he has been impressed with the new regime since Estrop came on board last summer and is hopeful that attitudes in the school system may be shifting.

“The attitude of the school system, not now but over the last 10 years is everyone has got to go to college,” he said. “Now it’s everyone needs some education beyond high school and that’s great.

“Everyone learns differently. Some kids, they’re hands on. They need to get out there and see ‘This is what I want to do’ and get inspired.”

During the same meeting that Fralick described his ambitious would-be employee, Superintendent David Estrop laid out plans for Springfield High School for the council.

His mission: to find 25 businesses partners in the community to assist with alternative career exploration options for high school students.

His plan: To find a third party to assist with locating businesses that may be interested in working with the students.

By the time the meeting adjourned, Estrop had a new game plan — to work with teachers and principals to identify businesses that could be assets in helping the initiative succeed and go from there.

“That was a good dialogue,” said Dan McGregor. “The teachers, they’re sort of the direct managers of education. You can plan a lot but really when it comes down to connecting with the kids, the teacher is vital.”

With increased involvement, the BAC could be even more effective to shape the schools’ future.

“The board and the administration are looking for some feedback from the business community that we are on the right path with the direction that we’re promoting within the schools so I think the communication goes both ways,” said Callan.

“I think it’s a good working group. We do struggle with attendance,” said Picklesimer. “It’s just good dialogue and keeps everyone open-minded and well-informed.”

At a June meeting, McGregor and others raised the idea of looking for new members.

“We need some more active members,” McGregor said. “We need some new blood. I’d like to see some interest from other businesses.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0373 or mgildow@coxohio.com.