At South Bend Community School Corp. we strive to provide our students with the tools they need to excel not only academically, but also professionally and personally.
However, we understand that traditional classroom learning is not sufficient to achieve this goal, so we have initiated a collaborative process involving surveys, focus groups and discussions with parents, teachers, business leaders and local government officials to identify the gaps that need to be addressed. to help students excel in their chosen career.
The feedback we received was clear: there is a shared interest in a centralized career hub. That’s why we’re excited to announce the launch of the St. Joseph County Career Hub. We are grateful for our school board and their leadership, who have taken a bold step to equip our students with the necessary tools to prepare them for the challenges they may face in the future.
Located in the iconic Studebaker Building 84 in downtown South Bend, the Career Hub will be a game-changer for students eager to build successful careers. Covering an expansive area of 40,000 square meters spread over two floors of a six-storey building, the hub will offer nearly two dozen programs covering an exceptional range of pathways that directly impact the workforce. From precision machining to early childhood education, cybersecurity hospitality management and much more, these courses are essential to meeting Indiana graduation requirements while providing students with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in the ever-changing job market from today.
While the company’s four high schools already offer career and technical education, this hub would centralize these programs, adding capacity and classes to accommodate more students. The Career Hub would also be accessible to high school students from across the region, giving them a better option and eliminating the need to travel further afield to other career centers.
Column: A local career center is helping high school students in St. Joe County become job ready
I have witnessed the incredible momentum created by our community partners, local schools, and dedicated teachers in the Career and Technical Education program. Together we are focused on developing the hub as a center of growth and progress. With their support, we want to provide our students with the best possible education so that they can reach their full potential.
Furthermore, this investment is a testament to our commitment to delivering on our promises to the community. We have secured $13.5 million, including $8.5 million from the 2020 referendum campaign, to bring this visionary concept to life. Construction of the Career Hub will start this summer and is expected to be completed at the beginning of the 2025 school year.
More: School leaders are planning a career center in downtown South Bend and want to use Clay during the transition
While we are confident that this location will break down barriers and open up more opportunities, we also know that there is still room to grow and more partnerships can be forged. Therefore, this is just the beginning, and we believe it will set a new benchmark for hands-on learning and continue our clear focus on safe schools, increase literacy rates and maintain the highest graduation rates in nearly a decade.
Todd Cummings is superintendent of the South Bend Community School Corp.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: St. Joseph County Career Hub will be a game-changer for students.
