Local event and discussion: Keeping Hoosier students in Indiana’s workforce

Two out of every five jobs in Dubois County are in the manufacturing sector. Those jobs pay more than $41,000 a year, on average.

Yet, there are jobs across southwest Indiana and the state that remain unfilled due to a lack of qualified or available applicants.

That’s why the Indiana Youth Institute (IYI) is partnering with local groups around Dubois County for its upcoming Postsecondary Pathways event: Partnering for Career Success. The event is February 24 from 9:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. EST at the Huntingburg Event Center, 200 E. 14th Street, Huntingburg, Indiana 47542.

School counselors, teachers and other youth-serving professionals will learn what job options students have after high school and what skills those students need to pursue careers in those fields.

“Many Indiana employers have told us it’s difficult to find enough workers with the right skills or education to fill the jobs they have available,” said Indiana Youth Institute (IYI) interim president and CEO Glenn Augustine. “We hope that by connecting local educators with local employers, students will be more aware of their options after high school. That will enable them to get the training or education they need to prepare for a rewarding and well-paying career.”

Speakers for the event will include Brad Ward, CEO for the Dubois County Community Foundation, along with Matthew Bajorek, vice president of business banking for J.P.Morgan Chase, and Bill Nonte, chief financial officer for the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

There will be two panel discussions on how schools and businesses can team up to create better local employment opportunities for students in southwest Indiana. There also will be a networking sessions so attendees can connect with each other and organizations at the event.

This event is free to attend if participants register online before January 31. After January 31, registration online and on-site is $10. The deadline to register online is February 22. Attendees may RSVP by going to the calendar section of http://www.iyi.org and clicking on the Postsecondary Pathways link to the event. On-site registration is subject to space availability.

This event is also made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Dubois County Community Foundation, Radius Indiana, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, Indiana Works Council Region 8 and Region 11, the Center for Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL), and the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, and IYI. Postsecondary Pathways is made possible by the generous support of J.P.Morgan Chase.

The Indiana Youth Institute promotes the healthy development of Indiana children and youth by serving the people, institutions, and communities that impact their well-being.