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CELL announces EWIN Partnership Planning Grant recipients

June 29, 2017 in Press Releases

The Education Workforce Innovation Network (EWIN) and the Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL) at the University of Indianapolis announced the second round of Education-Workforce Partnership Planning Grants.

The grants will fund the work of six groups across the state. Grants total $75,000 and range from $7,500 to $15,000 for proposals from regional partnerships that consist of K-12 school/districts, adult education, postsecondary institutions, high-demand sector industry and other community agencies or organizations. Four proposals address manufacturing, one focuses on health sciences and another centers on information technology.

EWIN, under the Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL) at the University of Indianapolis, provides the grants as well as technical assistance to awardees. Funding will support research into promising models of education-workforce alignment and design of implementation plans. These plans can include robust Early College (EC) career and technical education centers, Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools (P-TECH), academy models or more organically developed customized approaches.

Last year’s grantees went through a six-month planning stage, with EWIN’s technical assistance, and are currently in the midst of implementing their models. At the end of the planning period, in December 2016, Jody French, principal of Perry Central High School, stated, “The skills mapping we did with our manufacturers in the room was amazing. Seeing the energy and enthusiasm among our companies has taken us to the next level.”

This year’s grantees have the benefit of learning from the first round, and are equally enthused. Upon hearing the announcement that a Central Indiana grant would be funded, EmployIndy President and CEO Angela Carr Klitzsch said, “Thanks for your confidence in EmployIndy and IPS! We look forward to utilizing this planning grant to ensure young people in our city have an opportunity to access curricula that aligns with employer demand and career pathways.”

The list of recipients follows including main partners and short descriptions of proposals:

  • Plymouth Community School Corporation with the Marshall County Economic Development Corporation –Manufacturing, Precision Machining

– Will explore innovative business/education engagement practices and create career pathways in precision machining to better meet regional employment needs.

  • MSD of Decatur Township in Indianapolis with Nextech – Computer Science

– Will explore a number of existing programs and structures to support the district as it incorporates computer science instruction through its partnerships with Area 31 Career and Technical Consortium, Nextech, Apple, Bluelock, Bitwise and School of Business at the University of Indianapolis.

  • Lafayette School Corporation with Greater Lafayette Commerce – Advanced Manufacturing

– Will explore innovative models of education/workforce alignment in advanced manufacturing through partnerships with a variety of businesses, higher ed, local economic development agencies and the Wildcat Creek Career Cooperative that serves eight school districts in three counties.

  • Southeastern School Corporation in Walton, IN –Manufacturing

– Will collaborate with key stakeholders to design a continuous pathway to employment and/or postsecondary where students learn basic and advanced manufacturing skills, earn certifications and complete college credits through Ivy Tech, Vincennes and Purdue University.

  • EmployIndy with Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) – Health Sciences

– Will create a Health Sciences Career Academy within Crispus Attucks Medical Magnet High School and Longfellow STEM and Medical Magnet Middle School through collaboration with EmployIndy, IPS, Ivy Tech Community College, the University of Indianapolis, American Senior Living, United Home Healthcare and Trilogy Health Services. The work intends to ensure that IPS students are prepared to enroll in college or career training, enlist in the military or be employed at a living wage.

  • The City of Bedford and Radius Indiana – Manufacturing

– Will continue to explore and follow an evolving strategic pathways plan customized for its community to provide a more skilled workforce to local employers and better prepare students for the new world of postsecondary as well as successful careers in high demand/high wage jobs.

In the first round of Education-Workforce Partnership Planning Grants, lead organizations for funded proposals were Horizon Education Alliance in Elkhart, Jay School Corporation, Lebanon Community School Corporation, Perry Central Community Schools and Ripley County Community Foundation. EWIN has begun to showcase the resulting implementation plans for these partnerships. To learn about these communities’ initiatives, click here.

Funding for Planning Grants was provided by Lilly Endowment Inc.

The Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning at the University of Indianapolis provides leadership that is both cutting-edge and action-oriented. Created in 2001, CELL unites districts, schools, communities, universities and businesses to build a sense of urgency and form innovative collaborations for statewide educational and economic improvement.

EWIN, a CELL initiative, strategically supports regions across Indiana in reaching the goal of 60 percent postsecondary attainment. Through the development of education, community, and business partnerships, collaboratively designed career pathways connect local systems. Pathways make students college and career ready, design curricular programs grounded in the real world, engage businesses in K-16 learning experiences and provide the local workforce with highly skilled employees.

For more information, contact Marianna Richards at 317-791-5993 or richardsm@uindy.edu