New Program at Ivy Tech Lake County Connects Students, Employers

A new initiative at Ivy Tech Community College’s Lake County campus aims to foster a more direct connection between students and potential employers.

The office of Career Coaching and Employer Connections is expected to launch this fall and will assist students in preparing for their job search, as well as work with area employers to develop talent with the skills needed in their industries.

Ivy Tech has been rolling out the CCEC program, which brings together career development and employer outreach, at its campuses statewide. With the student in mind, it creates a cohesive model for student and employer engagement. This new, more strategic approach will emphasize comprehensive career readiness practices working alongside academic preparation throughout a student’s college experience.

DeeDee White

“I’m thrilled to lead this division of the college for our Lake County campus,” DeeDee White, newly named CCEC Executive Director, said. “CCEC is a game changer for both students and industry. Assisting students with employability skills and providing graduates to our industry partners who are qualified and prepared in their respective fields will the enhance economic impact in our community.”

White’s first task as Executive Director will be to hire a team of career coaches, career experiences specialists and employer consultants to begin outreach to students and employers.

“Matching up student talent with businesses and organizations is a priority for us at the Lake County campus,” Ivy Tech Lake County Chancellor Louie Gonzalez said. “CCEC will be involved with our students from day one. Empowering them with career information and job trends will help them make better decisions and help our graduates be better employees. It’s a game changer for everyone involved.”

“I am delighted that DeeDee White is leading the Career Coaching and Employer Connections team for the Ivy Tech Lake County campus,” Caroline Dowd-Higgins, Vice President of CCEC statewide, said. “This model is transforming the student and employer experience and connecting talent to critical hiring needs in our state. The long-term impact of this venture will make for stronger communities, greater economic stability and increased quality of life for individuals who can sustain a livelihood in high-wage, high-demand careers.”

Ivy Tech is becoming known as the place to launch your career for students of all ages as well as the place to seek top talent for employment opportunities. With the ever-changing workforce, Ivy Tech provides custom training to meet the demands of companies looking to skill up current employees to grow and retain personnel so organizations and the people who work in them can thrive.

For students, the Career Coaching and Employer Connections program will provide the opportunity for:

• Creation of a Career Development Portfolio: students will showcase why an employer should hire them and will include resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, work and learn experiences and the professional network and connections they have built with support from their CCEC team.
• Career Coaching: focused, one-to-one relationship to help the student figure out the right steps for their career path that match their values, interests, personality and skills.
• Work and Learn: opportunity to build relationships with employers and gain direct experience in careers that interest the student, such as working alongside professionals in a tech company or assisting on a Human Resources team in a healthcare organization.

The CCEC program also benefits employers by helping them find top talent for their workforce needs and/or skill up current employees with custom training. By closely aligning the student experience and employer needs, the CCEC program will meet the specific skills and training needs of employers in Indiana and neighboring states.

Ivy Tech has received support to establish CCEC from several other organizations that include: Lilly Endowment, Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation, Central Indiana Community Foundation, Glick Fund, Indiana Commission for Higher Education, Garatoni-Smith Family Foundation, JPMorgan Chase Foundation and Salesforce.