Work-based learning off to strong start in pilot year; 27 students enrolled
Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
A pilot program to create a pipeline of skilled employees coming out of high school is giving students exposure to career possibilities while earning credits and income.
UpSkill Work & Learn launched in August with its first cohort. Regional Opportunity Initiatives developed the program for schools and employers in the Indiana Uplands, an 11-county area in southern Indiana.
Michi McClaine, ROI vice president of talent development, said 27 students are enrolled in UpSkill programs at their schools; exceeding the initial goal of 15.
Mitchell, Orleans and Barr-Reeve high schools – and one career-technical education center, North Lawrence Career Center, are the participating schools within the Radius Indiana eight-county region.
Students are identified in their sophomore year. They are interviewed by the employer and begin working their junior year with a 10-12-hour a week placement. By their senior year, that can increase to a 15-20 hour placement, which can then lead to full- or part-time employment, advanced training or college coursework the third year.
NLCC Director Amy Redman calls it “work-based learning on steroids.”
“UpSkill provides a more targeted approach and it involves wrap-around support for the student,” she said.
For example, families are invited to tour the workplace before students apply. UpSkill also is able to offer a broader range of career opportunities.
NLCC has 10 students currently in UpSkill. Two students are learning to be IT support technicians through Five-Star Technology Solutions, the IT provider for North Lawrence Community Schools; four students are working at SAIC and four are working in limestone as mill operators at TexaCon and Bedford Limestone Suppliers.
Other employers are Indiana Limestone Fabricators, German American Bank, RTC, Even Automation and Graber Post.
ROI received funding from New America/PAYA to support the design and pilot phase of UpSkill Work & Learn. McClaine said ROI funds the implementation beyond the pilot.
Employers pay the UpSkill student wages but there is no other cost to their participation.
Students work one to four days a week during their school day. Once a week they report back to their school for an update.
Redman said ROI staff has provided additional support to the students and training for the employers on what to expect when working with teenagers new to the workforce.
“It has been a win-win opportunity,” Redman said. “ROI and Jen (Staab, career connections specialist) have been great at communicating with the kids. ROI and the employer have worked to create that ladder. These students are starting at an entry level position, but they know if they do XYZ, they will move into that next position. It’s been tremendous to know these employers are creating their own talent pipeline.”
UpSkill pathways include robotics, electrical engineering, cybersecurity, medical device development, IT, customer service, finance and marketing.
McClaine said with the success of the pilot year, ROI plans to expand the program with more employer partners each year and scale the program for K-12.