Work.Learn.Connect.
Connecting Today's Students To Tomorrow's Careers 
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Workplace Learning Connection

 

Why we do what we do

We believe in a vibrant community with a workforce ready for a changing world, and we support the next generation as they navigate and connect to our shared future.

 

What we do

We are connecting today's students to tomorrow's careers through high quality, age-appropriate work-based learning opportunities. 

 
Work
Advanced Manufacturing Tours Engaging the Future!  

October 17th-21st brings Advanced Manufacturing career awareness to area middle and high school students with the Advancing the Future -A Tour of Corridor Manufactures.  
The tours are an industry-lead annual event coordinated through the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Board highlighting today's manufacturers' highly-skilled career opportunities and potential career growth, as well as exposing students to the vast high-tech manufacturing that occurs right here in the corridor.
The Advancing the Future tours have always included high school students but in 2016, middle school students will have an opportunity to participate for the first time.  "It's important for students in middle school to have the opportunity to learn more about these career opportunities especially since they begin to plan for their high school classes during middle school," says Cheryl Valenta, Events Coordinator at Workplace Learning Connection. "Manufacturing today is not the manufacturing of the past. There is so much more engineering involved in today's manufacturing. It requires a higher skill set and there is a huge need for qualified skilled employees. For a student who doesn't want to sit in an office all day or wants to create things, the tour really allows them to see the possibilities. It's also a great opportunity for all students, middle school and high school, to see the truly amazing things companies right here in the corridor are creating every day!"
Advancing the Future takes action! Become a partner today! Check out WLC Partnership opportunities! 

Learn
Duncan McDougall of Marion Home School Assistance Program is determined to pursue a trades career as a plumber or electrician. He hopes to become an apprentice when he finishes high school. In the meantime, Duncan didn't waste any time; he decided to pursue a WLC internship with Price Industrial Electric in hopes of furthering his goal.
"It's definitely useful," writes Duncan. "Rather than going to college to get a degree and then coming to work and deciding I don't really like this and wasting all that time and money, you can do a 45-hour or 90-hour internship and decide whether you like this field or not."  Read more
Interested in hosting an Intern? Become a partner today at WLC Partnership ! 


Connect
Price Industrial Electric 
Engaging Now Impacting the Future!

Ask any company in the corridor, they will agree, the need for engaging and educating today's youth about their highly-skilled career opportunities is critical for the future growth of their business and the overall economy.
Price Industrial Electric is no exception and five years ago they began to take action. "We have made huge efforts over the past 5 years to expose students to the possibilities," says Dan Weekly, Safety Officer for Price Industrial Electric.  In fact Price Electric staff have participated as speakers for middle and high schools, attended career fairs, and hosted multiple high school interns through Workplace Learning Connection (WLC).  Read more
Have an impact on the future! Make a difference by engaging now at WLC Partnership!



Did You Know? 

In Linn County:
  • 500 Linn County businesses hosted students for a variety of career experiences
  • WLC served 41 schools providing
    • o   14,575 Career Exploration Experiences
      • 12,722 in Events -Financial Literacy Fairs, Career Speaker Days, Worksite Tours; Career Fairs, STEM Days; Mock Interviews; Target your Future; Building Trades EXPO
      • 152 Internships
      • 1701 Job Shadows
THANK YOU LINN COUNTY Businesses for your support! 

Still not engaged?  Check out our WLC Partnership Opportunities!


WLC Winter/Spring Internships

The WLC Online portal will open for internship applications on Monday, September 19 and will close on Friday, November 4th at 3:00PM. Check out the Internship home page for more information on how to apply. Please check with your specific school's internal deadline.
Interested in partnering with WLC to host a student for an internship? Click here   and click on internship.

Check out our daily post of community partnerships helping our future workforce! 




Workplace Learning Connection was founded in 1998 as a not-for-profit partnership of
Grant Wood AEA and Kirkwood Community College.  

Today, Workplace Learning Connection exists as a partially self-funded department of Kirkwood Community College under The Kirkwood Community College Foundation and as a partner of area 10 schools and businesses promoting and connecting career and future workforce development.