Workforce Ready Grants Bridge K-12, Postsecondary Education, and Career
K-12 Partners Support Seamless Pathways to College and Career
This February, Workforce Ready Grants that support K-12 pathways to college and career were featured at the annual Coalition of Oregon School Administrators (COSA) Winter Conference. The conference, which convened superintendents and business managers from Oregon’s 197 school districts, included a panel on “Talent Development: K-12 as the Foundation of Oregon’s Workforce System.” The panelists included representatives from Centro Cultural de Washington County, Hillsboro School District, Nestucca Valley School District, Phoenix-Talent School District, Portland Community College, Rogue Community College, and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC).
Panelists addressed the role K-12 education plays in meeting workforce demand across key industry sectors in Oregon. Using Workforce Ready Grant-funded projects as examples, they discussed strategies for collaborating with local workforce service providers—such as community colleges, community-based organizations, and employers—to provide hands-on learning and increase career awareness.
The following articles feature two of the Workforce Ready Grant-funded projects that were discussed as part of the presentation. These examples are just some of the many Workforce Ready Grant projects that support career-connected learning opportunities that bridge K-12, postsecondary education, and career. View the list of all Workforce Ready Grant projects here.
Phoenix High School, Mercy Flights, and Rogue Community College Collaborate to Increase EMS Career Awareness and Provide Training
In fall 2024, Phoenix High School teamed up with Mercy Flights and Rogue Community College (RCC) to provide Southern Oregon students with the opportunity to earn college credit while in high school in preparation for a career in emergency services.
Mercy Flights, a community-based organization providing air and ground medical transport in southern Oregon, received a 2023 Workforce Ready “Innovation in Workforce Programs” Grant to develop the curriculum for an Introduction to EMS class in collaboration with Phoenix High School and RCC. This project builds on the work Mercy Flights conducted with a 2022 Workforce Ready “Capacity Building” Grant to expand EMS career pathways and earn-and-learn opportunities to address Southern Oregon’s EMS workforce crisis.
The Introduction to EMS curriculum is co-taught by the school’s health careers educator and a Mercy Flights instructor. Students who complete the curriculum successfully earn their Basic Life Support certificate and four college credits through RCC.
Twenty students, ranging from sophomores to seniors, registered for the inaugural fall 2024 cohort. This spring, 36 students are participating in the second cohort, which concludes this June. Plans for a third cohort are already in place for fall 2025.
The curriculum stands out for expanding access to postsecondary education and career exploration pathways while students are still in high school. “Providing an opportunity in high school for students to gain college credits will positively position their next steps once they graduate high school” observed Phoenix-Talent School District Superintendent Brent Barry. “Our vision for this collaboration is to ultimately see more students enter the healthcare workforce.”
For more information, read Phoenix High School’s press release and Mercy Flights’ press release. To read our article on Mercy Flights’ 2022 Workforce Ready Grant project, click here.
Hillsboro School District, the City of Hillsboro, and Employer Partners Prepare Students for Advanced Manufacturing Careers
Hillsboro School District is preparing students for high-wage, high-demand careers in advanced manufacturing in partnership with the Advanced Manufacturing Training & Education Collaborative of Hillsboro (AM-TECH). Convened by the City of Hillsboro, AM-TECH members, including local industry representatives, support career awareness initiatives and inform curriculum.
The Hillsboro Advanced Manufacturing Apprenticeship is a key example of this collaborative approach to advancing career pathways. In 2022, the Hillsboro School District and City of Hillsboro partnered with Jireh Semiconductor, Inc. and Tosoh Quartz, Inc. to offer a two-year registered youth apprenticeship for high school students ages 16-18. The program provides paid on-the-job training and builds on the district’s hands-on Career Technical Education (CTE) programming. Students receive individualized mentorship and wraparound supports and services, such as transportation to and from the worksite, to help remove barriers to successful participation.
The first cohort graduated in June 2024. Together, all five students completed a combined total of 5,866 hours in the youth apprenticeship program and successfully earned their manufacturing technician certification. The second cohort launched last fall with Jireh Semiconductor and features expanded program offerings in welding, electronics, and engineering technology.
The City of Hillsboro and the Hillsboro School District have received competitive Future Ready Oregon grant funding through the HECC and the Bureau of Labor and Industries, respectively, in support of their CTE and youth apprenticeship programming in advanced manufacturing. Most recently, the HECC awarded the City of Hillsboro a 2024 Workforce Ready Grant in Manufacturing to expand Hillsboro School District’s strategy for increasing K-12 exposure to the manufacturing industry into neighboring districts—Forest Grove, Banks, and Gaston. By scaling the model beyond Hillsboro, AM-TECH partners are laying the groundwork for a regional approach to workforce development—one that prioritizes equity, collaboration, and early student engagement.
“Future Ready Oregon is really making a difference for our students. It’s helping us build stronger connections with local industry—giving students real-world experiences and a chance to earn credentials that matter,” Hillsboro School District Superintendent Travis Reiman observed. Reiman continued: “We’ve seen it in action, especially through our Registered Youth Apprenticeship program, where students are learning hands-on skills and walking away with something tangible, like the nationally recognized Manufacturing Technician Certificate. This kind of work connects students to high-wage careers in fields where our community—right here in Hillsboro—really needs them.”
Learn more in the AM-TECH 2023 Annual Report. To watch the Manufacturing Industry Consortium’s recent panel presentation on the Hillsboro Youth Apprenticeship, click here (details below).
Industry Consortia Updates
Manufacturing Consortium Hosts Youth Apprenticeship Panel
The Manufacturing Consortium hosted a panel on the Hillsboro Youth Apprenticeship at its quarterly public meeting on April 2nd. The panelists, listed below, discussed program components and implementation, along with the benefits to students, employers, and the community. The presentation also featured a recorded interview with a recent participant. Click here to watch the panel presentation (beginning at 1:23:14).
Panelists:
- Kathy Bishop, Human Resources Director, Jireh Semiconductor
- Travis Reiman, Superintendent, Hillsboro School District
- Claudia Rizo, Youth Apprenticeship Manager, Hillsboro School District
- Kristi Wilson, Workforce Development Director, Portland Community College
- Mariah Robbins, Vice President, Global People and Operations, A-Dec (moderator)
Upcoming Meetings
Mark your calendars for the next round of Industry Consortia Quarterly Public Meetings:
- Technology Consortium, Tuesday, May 13, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Oregon State University
- Healthcare Consortium, Tuesday, June 24, time and location TBD
- Manufacturing Consortium, Tuesday, August 19, time and location TBD
These meetings will be held in person, with an option to listen online. Everyone is welcome to attend, and meeting materials and location details will be posted on the Industry Consortia web page closer to the date of each meeting. Subscribe to Industry Consortia public meeting notices to receive the latest updates.
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