Elkhart Area Career Center Launches Indiana’s First Diesel Service Technology State Earn and Learn
INDIANAPOLIS (Dec. 21, 2020) – The Elkhart Area Career Center’s (EACC) Diesel Service Technology program was officially recognized as a certified Indiana State Earn and Learn (SEAL) by officials from the Indiana Office of Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship (OWBLA) during a ceremony at their newly opened state of the art Diesel and Automotive Services Center.
The Diesel Service Technology program was established in 2015 in response to request from local business and industry leaders and since inception has worked to place students in internship experiences. Students enrolled in the Diesel Service Technology SEAL gain valuable work experience while earning 37 college credits and a certificate in Maintenance in Light Repair from Ivy Community College. In addition, students earn 11 industry-valued ASE credentials.
Diesel Service Technology Program instructor, Pete Lestinsky commented on the importance of work-based learning for both his students and employer partners stating, “I have found that a student’s development increases when they participate in an internship. A student will gain skills, knowledge and attitudes that cannot be duplicated in a classroom setting. By participating in the SEAL program, employers can obtain quality entry level employers in a tight pool of potential candidates.”
For students participating in the program like Senior David Hart, who is in the National Honor Society and will be graduating from both high school and Ivy Tech in the spring, the program represents a valuable opportunity to gain experience in their career field.
He said, “I have been able to enter the industry that I am interested in before graduation from high school. Allowing me to work hands on has been the best thing EACC has done for me. I have had the opportunity to work on teams, problem solve and work on my communication skills.”
“With their second certified SEAL program, the EACC continues to demonstrate their intentional effort to make comprehensive work-based learning experiences a priority for all students,” said Matt Presley, Regional Director in the OWBLA. “The Diesel Service Technology SEAL is an outstanding example of how collaboration between industry and education providers leads to not only opportunities for students to launch careers in a high demand, high wage field, but also for employers to build a true pipeline of skilled talent.”
EACC Director Brandon Eakins credits past leadership for laying the groundwork of a successful program; working to increase rigor, provide certifications and promote early college opportunities. Looking forward, Eakins said, “As our region moves towards creating valuable work-based learning experiences for our high schoolers, the EACC is excited to be part of the solution.”
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 SEALs are Indiana’s state-level apprenticeship type programs. They are designed to deliver work and learn experience for participants along with the skills and certifications that employers value. These programs are geared toward both adult and youth populations, and they satisfy Indiana’s new graduation pathway requirements.
DWD projects Indiana employers will need to fill more than 1 million additional jobs in the next 10 years, half of which will not require a four-year college degree, but some type of certification or credential beyond a high school diploma.
For more information about the EACC Diesel Service Technology SEAL or SEALs in general, visit the OWBLA website at www.INwbl.com or email the DWD Office of Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship at wbl@dwd.in.gov.
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About the Office of Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship:
The Office of Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship, located within the Department of Workforce Development and part of Governor Holcomb’s NextLevel Agenda, serves to develop and implement a framework of work-based learning pathways for both youth and adult populations with a concentration on certified State Earn and Learn (SEAL) and U.S. DOL Registered Apprenticeship programs.
About the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
DWD serves the worker and the employer to ensure workplace success. DWD is committed to innovating and invigorating Indiana’s economic future by providing WorkOne Career Centers, Unemployment Insurance, Labor Market Information, Regional Workforce Strategies and Professional Training. Through these services, DWD is able to develop a premier workforce that enables Indiana employers to flourish and entices businesses from outside our state to relocate to Indiana.
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