How Can Small Districts Build Employer Partnerships
By Nisa Gül • Co-Author: Bailey Grams For small school districts, building strong employer partnerships can feel difficult before the work even begins. There may not be a large business community nearby. One counselor or work-based learning coordinator may already be managing several responsibilities. Employers may be interested in supporting students but unsure what participation […]
Hero Spotlight: Alex Johnston, Titan Construction Services
Building Futures Through Real-World Experience By Nisa Gül For students exploring career pathways, seeing an industry up close can make all the difference. Through virtual tours, HireME! participation, internships, and work-based learning opportunities, Titan Construction Services has been helping students better understand what careers in construction can actually look like. As part of Skyepack’s Career+ […]
HireME! 2026: More Than a Job Fair, A Launchpad for Student Futures
By Katarina Webb On April 29, 2026, students from across the region gathered at the Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds for HireME!, hosted by Greater Lafayette Commerce. What they experienced was not just a hiring event. It was a hands-on introduction to the world of work. With approximately 475 students in attendance from 19 local high schools […]
Community Partnerships in Action: Region 4 Students Explore Public Safety and Human Services Careers
By Kimba Rund Career exploration is most powerful when students can experience industries firsthand. Recently, more than 30 students from the Greater Lafayette region’s Locally Created Pathway (LCP) programs participated in Public Safety and Human Services Skills Bootcamps, where they engaged directly with professionals working in these fields. These students are part of a program […]
Hero Spotlight: Jason Padgett — Helping Students Use AI as a Human-Centered Tool
By Nisanur Gül When students in Greater Lafayette step into Career+ Pathways™ experiences that involve artificial intelligence, healthcare, and marketing, there’s a good chance they’ll meet Jason Padgett. Jason bridges two worlds that don’t always overlap: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and community health on one side, and emerging AI tools on the other. As a […]
Building Future-Ready Students Through Career+ Pathways™ Skills Bootcamps
By Kimba Rund This fall, Career+ Pathways™ partnered with schools and local employers to host a series of hands-on Skills Bootcamps designed to help students explore careers, build industry-relevant competencies, and gain confidence in their future plans. Across four bootcamps — Public Safety, Human Services, AI in Marketing, and ELL Workforce Reality English — more […]
Connecting the Dots: Building Regional Talent Pipelines Through Student-Centered Microcredentials
Across Indiana’s I-65 corridor, between Chicago and Indianapolis, a regional challenge has long persisted: thousands of students graduate each year ready to learn, while employers across key industries—manufacturing, healthcare, construction, and education—struggle to fill open positions. The problem isn’t a lack of talent, but a lack of connection. At the 2025 CAEL Conference, Eric Davis, […]
Hero Spotlight: Kara Webb — The Connector-in-Chief Behind Greater Lafayette’s Talent Engine
When you ask employers across Greater Lafayette how the region keeps producing talent for advanced manufacturing, healthcare, chemicals, logistics, and (increasingly) semiconductors, one name surfaces again and again: Kara Webb. Today, Kara serves as Director of Workforce Development at Greater Lafayette Commerce. Her remit is deceptively simple: pull employers, schools, higher ed, and workforce partners […]
The Best Way to Create Customer Learning Academies, Boost Retention
The Best Way to Create Customer Learning Academies, Boost Retention
