INDIANAPOLIS (May 12, 2021) – On May 10, officials from the Indiana Office of Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship (OWBLA) joined Fort Wayne Community Schools (FWCS) representatives, employer partners, students, and community stakeholders in formally recognizing FWCS Career Academy for their efforts in the development and the certification of nine State Earn and Learn (SEAL) programs.
SEALs serve as both Indiana’s state-level apprenticeship and U.S. Department of Labor pre-apprenticeship programs. They are designed to deliver a work-and-learn experience for participants along with the skills and certifications that employers value.
The Fort Wayne Career Academy SEALs are in the following career pathways: Carpentry, Construction Electrical, HVAC, Masonry, Welding, Automotive Service Technology, Automotive Collision Repair, Software Development, and IT/Networking.
“We are excited to work with the OWBLA and our community business partners to certify nine different SEAL programs,” said Jesse Webb, Principal and Director at the Fort Wayne Career Academy (pictured left). “And we are fortunate to have so many wonderful business partners in Allen County to work with. Our SEAL programs are aligned to the pipelines that Dr. Mark Daniel has identified for FWCS. It is a win-win for all involved.”
The nine SEAL programs are aligned to the Indiana Office of Career and Technical Education (OCTE) new Next Level Programs of Study and include multiple employer partners that provide opportunities for students to work and learn through paid internships and employment. Students in each program also earn several industry-valued credentials and college credit through either Ivy Tech Community College or Vincennes University.
Matt Presley, Regional Director in the OWBLA, said, “With the development and certification of nine SEAL programs, Fort Wayne Career Academy has not only established itself as a leader in providing best-practice work-based learning experiences for their students, but also created and solidified true talent pipelines that deliver highly trained and engaged employees for employers across Allen County.”
Sharing insight as an employer partner in the construction trade SEALs, Hope Harp, Outreach Coordinator for the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters (IKORCC) commented, “IKORCC is proud to partner with FWCS Career Academy on their SEAL programs. Through these programs, IKORCC gets great apprentices, and those apprentices come to our contractors already possessing many of the necessary skills to make both them and us successful. The efforts made by the FWCS and their SEAL program will benefit the community in a ripple effect that will be seen for generations to come.”
For more information about the Fort Wayne Career Academy SEAL programs or SEALs in general, visit the OWBLA website at www.INwbl.com or email the Indiana Department of Workforce Development Office of Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship at wbl@dwd.in.gov.
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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.
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.
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