The Valparaiso-based Center of Workforce Innovations is kicking off a new program called Bridging the Gap to Student Success.
The new program assists high school juniors and seniors in finding their ideal profession through career engagement, exploration and experience. It aims to help students navigate career opportunities and offers career coaching. The program is made possible through a $1 million grant from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education.
CWI will engage with school districts throughout Northwest Indiana to provide workforce-ready workshops. It will also provide skill assessments to help learners identify potential career pathways to pursue upon graduation including postsecondary options. Resources will be offered to students, parents and educators to facilitate discussions about various opportunities.
The program will prioritize schools in historically marginalized communities. To administer the program, the center is collaborating with Calumet College of St. Joseph, Gary Alumni Pathways for Students, Indiana University Northwest, JobWorks, Junior Achievement of Chicago and Ivy Tech Community College.
Nicole Rodriquez, director of Ready NWI, emphasized the impact of the program for businesses and students alike.
“For area businesses, Bridging the Gap for Student Success creates a pipeline of potential talent for the many in-demand careers that are available now and in the future,” Rodriquez said in a press release. “But the main benefactors are truly the students, who may have never seriously considered what awaits them after graduation. It allows them to explore all the Region's great options — whether it's one of our amazing educational institutions or a path into a skilled trade.”
As a result of House Enrolled Act 1002, passed by the Indiana General Assembly in 2023, the funding for the project was provided in collaboration with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. Center of Workforce Innovations serves as one of 28 approved intermediaries to support secondary schools throughout the state.
