Valparaiso-based Center of Workforce Innovations (CWI) was awarded $1 million as part of the state’s $25 million Career Coaching Grant through the Indiana Commission for Higher Education – one of only 28 organizations selected. CWI will work with school districts across Northwest Indiana to administer the state’s innovative model for preparing students to make informed decisions about their college and career paths.
The funding is part of the Comprehensive Career Coaching and Navigation Framework, a multi-year program developed by the Indiana General Assembly in 2023 in collaboration with the Indiana Department of Education. The program is intended to help students from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade prepare for finding a vocation they love after graduation.
Throughout the process, students will be provided age-appropriate coursework covering wide-ranging topics such as financial literacy and building work-ready skills. Upon completion, young Hoosiers will be better informed about their postsecondary and career opportunities.
CWI plans to use the allotment in collaboration with existing provider partners and programs including school districts across Northwest Indiana, JobWorks, Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG), Indiana University Northwest, Ivy Tech Community College, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana, and additional youth service providers. Ready NWI, a CWI-led regional alliance between area K-12 schools, postsecondary institutions, workforce collaborators, and employers, will play a pivotal role in the process.
CWI will provide career coaches who will lead guided tours of the region’s most in-demand industries and occupations and offer 30-minute “Career Discovery Meetings” for high school juniors and seniors who may need more guidance. The grant’s immediate impact will allow the organization to bridge the gap for some of the area’s most vulnerable student populations.
