Decatur County, IN — The Decatur County Community School Corporation (DCCS) is proud to announce the creation of a new program to its academic offerings, the Industrial Integration Academy.
The Industrial Integration Academy (IIA) is a new course of study designed to give students real-world experience and knowledge of local manufacturing career opportunities.
Students will have the chance to work and earn a paycheck in their senior year of high school as well as the potential to earn dual credit and industry-recognized certifications.
This path will also allow students the ability to apply for permanent employment after graduation, plus gain the background knowledge and experience necessary for success.
“The goal of the program is to connect industry and education and give students more avenues to achieve success as young adults,” said Angel Hocker, Director of Learning for DCCS. “By creating awareness, exposure, and hands-on experiences, DCCS schools will equip students with informed career opportunities.”
The Academy is a partnership between local industry, Decatur County Schools, and community stakeholders.
It will be available to North and South Decatur High School juniors beginning in the 2023-24 school year.
Students will spend one class period a week immersed with a specific, local manufacturer learning about safety, culture, and what career opportunities look like at that facility while taking manufacturing courses in the schools to prepare for the workplace.
During the student’s senior year, the student will spend several class periods a week earning a paycheck from the manufacturers, with the potential to be hired full-time after graduation.
To ensure well-rounded exposure to various operations and skill sets, students will rotate through multiple manufacturers throughout the school year.
Participating manufacturers include Nipro PharmaPackaging in Westport; Batesville Tool & Die in Ripley County; Honda Indiana Auto Plant, and Delta Faucet Company in Greensburg.
Ivy Tech Community College is a post-secondary collaborator.
Lisa Deck, Purdue’s Indiana Manufacturing Competitiveness Center (IN-MaC) Program Manager, Education Workforce, was contracted by DCCS to lead the charge for this new academy. Deck has experience developing similar programs in other school corporations throughout the state.
“The academy model is a win-win,” explained Deck. “For the manufacturers, we are building a pipeline of future employees to help offset worker shortages. For the students, they are exploring local career opportunities, improving their professional skills, learning some independence, and getting their foot in the door for a potential future career. Students will ultimately have the foundational skills to be successful in multiple careers in manufacturing.”
For DCCS School Superintendent Jarrod Burns, the driving force behind the academy is simple: to fill an educational void for those students who are hands-on, project-based learners.
“All students can learn. It is our responsibility to make sure each and every student reaches their potential so they will be successful in life after high school,” said Burns.
Enrollment for the fall Industrial Integration Academy will begin soon.
Sophomores in the county school system who are interested in the ’23-’24 academy are encouraged to contact their school counselors for more information.
(Decatur County Community School Corporation press release)
