Bridges Career Academies awarded second Bremer Foundation grant

The Otto Bremer Foundation again awarded an organizational supporting grant to the Bridges Career Academies & Workplace Connection. The $220,000 grant has strengthened the development of Bridges Career Academies, launched a new Career Depot web portal through the Bridges Workplace Connection and developed a new Career Skills Camp model.

Each of these activities seek to fundamentally change the way students explore and determine their future careers. All Bridges programs are designed to help the next generation workforce become better prepared to meet the demands of local employers, especially in careers that are high-wage, high-skill and high-growth.

The Bridges Career Academies & Workplace Connection was developed to better integrate work-based learning between schools and business. The Bridges Career Academies, offer a sequence of courses focusing on career pathways. 

Courses are project based with hands-on learning activities. Each course teaches technical skills, employability skills and has a real-world business experience. Students have practical learning opportunities throughout the courses that transfer to activities beyond the school day. 

The Workplace Connection offers job shadows, speakers in the classrooms and career videos, business tours, the career depot and an annual career exploration day - all of which integrate work-based learning between schools and business and showcase career options that are available in the Brainerd Lakes Area.

Thanks to the support of the Otto Bremer Foundation, the Bridges Career Academies have expanded to additional high schools, develop additional Academies with existing high school partners, held an annual faculty workshop, developed online resource materials and provided financial support for special projects.

Judy Richer, Staples, Coordinator of the Bridges Career Academies, said “The Bridges Career Academies continue to grow and flourish with 127 Academies built to date resulting in 625+ Academy graduates in the last four years. Students completing a Bridges Career Academy receive an Academy Certificate of Completion, a green honor cord, and recognition at their high school awards and graduation events.”

Bremer dollars helped the Bridges Workplace Connection launch the Career Depot, a new web portal that offers a collection of resources to help students explore careers, as well as find tips on how to complete applications, prepare for an interview, and more. Through classroom projects and extracurricular activities, area teachers, coaches, and staff encourage students to use the Career Depot tools to explore future careers. The Career Depot also provides an easy-to-use database of jobs just for high schoolers, and connects to students through social media and an App.

In 2015, Bridges staff also launched a Career Skills Camp. The two-day experience for students and teachers used a combination of business speakers and outdoor team-related activities that focus on developing an understanding of essential work behaviors (such as communicate with co-workers, dressing appropriately and problem solving) and conducting an assessment of individual foundational/soft skills (such as communication, team building, and leadership confidence building). The next camp is slated for late October, 2016.

Mary Gottsch, Director of the Bridges Workplace Connection, played a key role in developing Bridges. Gottsch links businesses with these unique programs to give students real-world options for local career choices, while also preparing area employers for their future workforce. 

“High school students need to better understand their career options before pursuing a post-secondary education,” said Gottsch. “Local businesses and industry are eager to partner with Bridges in an effort to grow a knowledgeable and skilled employee base and positively impact our local economy.”

Currently, 26 school districts within Region Five and/or the Central Lakes Carl Perkins Consortium are eligible to participate in the Bridges programs, including: Aitkin, Bertha-Hewitt, Brainerd, Browerville, Cass Lake-Bena, Crosby-Ironton, Eagle Valley, Freshwater District, Henning, Isle, Little Falls, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle, Menahga, Northland Community, Onamia, Pequot Lakes, Pierz, Pillager, Pine River-Backus, Royalton, Sebeka, Staples-Motley, Swanville, Upsala, Verndale, and Wadena-Deer Creek.

In addition to the Otto Bremer Foundation, the Bridges Career Academies & Workplace Connection is funded in part by the following organizations: Blandin Foundation, Brainerd Area Rotary Club, Brainerd Area Sertoma Club, Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation, Carl Perkins Central Lakes Consortium Funding, Crow Wing Power, Initiative Foundation, MicroNet/ChamberMaster, the National Joint Powers Alliance, Region Five Development Commission and Rural Minnesota Concentrated Employment Program (Rural MN Cep), and are supported by the Brainerd Lakes Chamber, Central Lakes College, and participating school districts. 

Learn more by visiting www.BridgesConnection.org, or call 218-822-7117.