Schools

Business Partners Named for One-of-a-Kind Career Exploration Program in Iowa

CAPS – the Center for Advanced Professional Studies – will give Waukee students the opportunity to solve real-world problems faced by the businesses throughout the metro area.

Initial business partners for a pilot program that will help students explore career options have been approved by the Waukee school board. The pilot project, the only one in Iowa, will be made available to about 100 high school juniors and seniors next year.

Students will earn both high school and college credit at the Center for Advanced Professional Studies program (CAPS), jump-starting their post-secondary work, according to a story on the Waukee Community School District’s web site.

“They will gain experience beyond the traditional classroom, get the hands-on experiential learning colleges value, solve real-world problems that impact our business partners’ bottom line and future success, and apply classroom knowledge to real-world situations,” Superintendent David J. Wilkerson said in the story.

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The 14 members of the initial advisory board represent 12 businesses and institutions, the Des Moines Register reports.

They are:

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  • Michael Bird, Spindustry
  • Mike Ralston, Iowa Association of Business and Industry
  • Gene Meyer, Greater Des Moines Partnership
  • Rob Denson and Randy Mead, both of Des Moines Area Community College
  • Jim McCullough, Weitz Corp.
  • Elliot Smith, Iowa Business Council
  • Deb Calvert, MidAmerican Energy
  • Mindi Heitland, Waukee schools
  • Peg Armstrong Gustafson and Kirk Tyler, both of Atlantic Bottling Co.
  • Eric Crowell, UnityPoint health
  • Susan Bunz, DuPont/Pioneer

Wilkerson said the CAPS philosophy is built around the idea that all students must acquire cutting-edge skills to be successful in the “innovation generation.”

“CAPS will provide junior and senior students with real-world experiences in corporate settings, where they can learn and develop skills in high-demand local corporate environments. It has the potential to transform the high school experience through innovative programming targeted to business partner-directed projects, and immersion in profession-based programs,” Wilkerson said. “It’s an opportunity for the district to provide real benefit to the local business community, and at the same time provide exceptional educational programming for our students that currently doesn’t exist in Iowa.”

The pilot project was approved by the school board earlier this year after more than two years of study and planning. it’s based on a similar program in the Kansas City, KS area, where about 900 high school students are exploring careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math)



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