A Senate committee held a public hearing Wednesday on a bill that would establish a “career conversations” program through the University of Wisconsin Center on Education and Work.

The bill would create a program for students in grades seven through 12 to have conversations via webcam with business leaders in different high-demand fields. It would focus on business communities in fields such as math, science, agricultural education, technology education and information technology.

The conversations would be taped and would be available for future viewing.

Sen. Julie Lassa, D-Stevens Point, said she sponsored the legislation because she has heard from many business leaders in her community that they need more kids to come out of high school with solid backgrounds in math and science.

Lassa said the program would be a way to let students and parents know about different possibilities in high demand and high wage employment, not only in their local areas but all across the state.

“It’s also a benefit for business communities because they’re able to engage in these conversations via the web directly with students about what the job entails, what type of interest led them to pursue that type of career, as well as the things that most kids and parents want to know,” Lassa said.

The bill would also require the program to promote participation in the conversations among students, parents and the business community, measure student participation in the conversations, notify parents and business leaders after the conversations take place and track the study plans of students who participate in the conversations.

Lassa said they modeled the program after a similar one in North Dakota that is aimed at combating the “brain drain” and keeping their “homegrown kids” in the state. The North Dakota program also brings in business leaders from high wage and high demand jobs into classrooms through webcam videos.

If the bill passes, the UW Center on Education and Work would first create a pilot program that would run until May 2011. Afterward, they would evaluate to see if it was successful.

According to Lassa, they decided to start the program for kids in seventh grade because in eighth grade, most students around the state are introduced to the Wisconsin Covenant program.

“It’s an opportunity to hear about careers, to peak their interest and give them a vehicle to go on and get a higher education degree,” Lassa said. ” It’s important for them to really start thinking about possible avenues and classes to take in high school.”

David Giroux, spokesperson for the UW System, said they are supportive of the bill.

“This legislation advances two important objectives by encouraging middle and high school students to critically examine potential career options and by promoting career fields in high demand in Wisconsin,” said a statement on the UW System website.