Workplace Learning Connection sees increase in student engagement

     During the Jan. 24 Jones County Supervisor meeting, Workplace Learning Connections (WLC) representatives Kristine Bullock and Tris Langdon met with the board to provide an annual update, as well present their FY 2024 budget request.

   WLC requests 10 cents per capita for the seven counties they serve in the Kirkwood area. For Jones County, per the 2020 population, that comes to $2,064.60. This is the same financial request as FY 2023.

   Bullock shared that they have 17 team members working across the region; 10 full-time and seven part-time.

   WLC serves students in grades 6-12.

   “We provide that one point of contact for the students,” said Bullock.

   The mission of WLC is to “better prepare students to make informed education and career decisions” and to “support students and educators as they navigate from awareness to exploration to high-quality work-based learning.”

   WLC provides students with a variety of career exploration options:

   • Job Shadows

   • Work site tours

   • Internships

   • Career speakers

   • STEM speakers

   • Financial Literacy Fair

   • Mock interviews

   • Career fairs

   • Industry lead career fairs

   WLC works with 32 school districts across the seven counties.

   New in 2023, they plan to provide even more job shadow opportunities for students, especially for those who transfer schools or newly enroll mid-year.

   “That has helped to increase our numbers,” said Bullock.

   WLC is also offering “Teaching for the Workforce,” where teachers get a chance to see what careers are available in and around the community.

   Bullock said their numbers are up in terms of student engagement, which is why more job shadows are needed. For the 2020-21 school year there were 1,520 job shadows, 111 internships, and 18,788 students taking part in WLC events. Year to date there have been 3,560 job shadows, 381 internships, and 22,714 students taking part in WLC events.

   “Career exploration and hands-on experiences are what a lot of students participate in,” Langdon noted.

   Bullock said students from other counties come to Jones County to experience the career opportunities available here. She said some of the job shadows lead to future employment for some of these students; a foot in the door.

   Bullock also shared their FY 2022 revenue breakdown of the $804,331 they received:

   • 7 percent from Kirkwood Community College

   • 54 percent from state and federal grants

   • 5 percent from Grant Wood AEA

   • 26 percent from K-12 schools

   • 8 percent from contributions and county funding

   She said funding helps to support:

   • WLC staff

   • Equitable delivery of services

   • Shared fiscal responsibility (return on investment)

   • Leverage of other forms of support (grants)

   Bullock said state funding is going away for some community colleges that offer the same opportunities as WLC.

   “It will not affect our services because of our funding pool,” she said of the WLC funding model. “But our community college partners across the state will see an impact.”