GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN Why Do I Have to Learn This? Work Learn Connect Connecting today’s students to tomorrow’s careers

GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN Challenge #1 – What is an Intermediary? Educators & employers want to work together! It is confusing & time consuming for everyone! Create a broker – a matchmaker – an INTERMEDIARY… The IDEA! The PROBLEM!The SOLUTION! A tool for career, workforce & economic development!

GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN Intermediary Strategic Functions Convene partners to develop high-quality, age-appropriate, work-based learning opportunities for K-12 youth & educators, i.e. career events, job shadows, academic internships Connect young people to local employers for career awareness, exploration, and experience Measure the impact and quality of the experiences for all stakeholder groups Sustain the work through attention to customer needs, strategic planning, and advocacy 3 WLC

GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN WLC Program Goals Convene (Relationship-building) Develop and strengthen connections to all regional school districts Build or improve employer relationships in the region Identify existing structures and partnerships needed for implementation Connect (System-building) Collaborate synergistically with like-minded community partners Develop processes and procedures for delivering quality core services Measure & Sustain (Future-building) Evaluation Positive ROI 4

GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN Challenge #2a – Who are the Program Benefactors? Educators Educators are asked to improve student achievement Work-based learning adds relevance to the curriculum Employers Employers are asked to solve the looming employment shortage Work-based learning establishes relationships with potential future employees Communities Civic leaders are asked to develop vibrant, diverse, and welcoming communities Work-based learning engages schools and employers in building a shared future Iowa/Your state! Retain & Attract Young People Complementary strategies for workforce development! 5 WLC

GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN Challenge #2b – Who Wants to “Play”? Can We Partner?

GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN The WLC Model: Do Your Main Thing! WLC’s Main Thing: making high-quality, age-appropriate career connections Educators’ Main Thing: facilitating student learning Employers’ Main Thing: providing services and/or producing goods Together: Preparing students to be better informed and better prepared as they make postsecondary career and education decisions! Each keeping our main thing the main thing!

GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN What does WLC do? Elementary School Awesome Uniforms Careers on Wheels Tools of the Trade Products & Processes Staff Professional Development In-service Worksite Tours Employer Panels (externships) Summer Careers Class Middle School Interactive Speaker Day Target Your Future Pathway Tours Financial Literacy Fair High School Business Etiquette/Mock Interviews Career Fair/Day & STEM events Career Class Speakers/Tours Job Shadows & Internships

GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN Data Points Job Shadows Internships (What the students told us!) (721)(242) Connected HS & the world of work 86% 76% Impacted choice of high school classes 52% 50% Influenced selection of career field 97% 78% Helped select college major 68% 83% Built awareness of local career opportunities 87% 86% Positively influenced decision to live & work in Iowa 63% 69% We believe in our shared future…the CONNECTION works! Challenge #3 – Does it Work? What is the ROI?

GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN Challenge #4 – Who pays for it and How is it Sustained? All stakeholder groups contribute to sustainability.

GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN What’s Next?  Because of comprehensive service delivery, sustainability, and positive return on investment  2005 Iowa legislation created a policy framework and a fund to replicate intermediary practice across the state  2010 & 2011 seed funds to each community college region  2011 WLC became a department of Kirkwood Community College  2013 legislation revamped and an annual budget line item of $1.5m was created Together, we are building….

GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN GREAT RIVERS Great Innovations TWENTY FIFTEEN …the Iowa Intermediary Network!