Career Readiness in Ames, Iowa: Building the Future Workforce
High school career readiness programs are a vital cornerstone of workforce development in the Greater Ames region. By equipping area students with practical skills, valuable industry certifications and early exposure to diverse career pathways, these programs bridge the critical gap between education and employment.
The active, ongoing collaboration between local schools, businesses and civic organizations strengthens the regional talent pipeline. At the same time, it directly addresses critical workforce shortages in high-demand fields like advanced manufacturing, corporate business, healthcare, agriculture and technology.
Real-World Skills: Gilbert School District Leads With DECA
Gilbert Community School District, for example, provides opportunities for students to develop and grow soft skills, such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity. Through class projects, industry tours, clubs and student organizations, work-based learning, and community internships, students are provided access to experiences that help them develop the skills to become future professionals.
The Gilbert High School chapter of DECA (formerly known as Distributive Education Clubs of America) is a prime example of these efforts. Program participants develop key skills in marketing, finance, hospitality and management through a hands-on, co-curricular approach that integrates classroom learning with real-world application.
“It helps students become academically prepared, community-oriented, professionally responsible and experienced leaders through competitive events, community service and networking opportunities,” says Vicki Hales, business teacher and DECA adviser at Gilbert High School. “Participation also provides college and career readiness benefits, like scholarship opportunities, leadership development and practical experience in business operations.”
Hales says DECA also teaches students financial literacy, entrepreneurship, networking and public speaking. Students attend leadership conferences and competitions, where they compete in business scenario role-playing and network with other businesses and students in the community and across the country.
“These experiences help students apply their skills and knowledge in an authentic manner while working to improve their employability skills as well as get an early start on building a competitive profile for college and careers,” Hales says.
Edge on Education: Boone High School’s EDGE Program
Furthering the region’s commitment to career readiness in Ames, Iowa and the surrounding cities, Boone High School – a core part of the Boone Community School District – focuses on technical preparation through its signature EDGE (Empowered Desire, Guided Experience) program.
EDGE emphasizes work-based learning and skills training in areas such as health care, education and technology. A key element of the program is the collaboration between the school and the business community to offer students internships, mentorships and other hands-on opportunities.
There are two main components to the program. The first is EDGE Advantage, a project-based learning course where students work on real business projects from community partners across Boone and Story counties. The EDGE Advanced internship program places students in workplace environments where they gain hands-on experience in their chosen fields.
The specialized framework is divided into two main tracks:
- EDGE Advantage: A project-based learning course where students work directly on real, active business projects submitted by community partners across Boone and Story counties.
- EDGE Advanced: A comprehensive internship program that places students directly into active workplace environments, allowing them to gain hands-on experience in their chosen fields before graduation.
“Students tackle diverse challenges, like increasing business visibility, fundraising for nonprofits, boosting social media engagement, designing teen centers, and website development,” says Amy Bossard, work-based learning facilitator for Boone High School. “With about 25 different projects running simultaneously, students can explore various career paths and dabble in areas like web development or social media content management to discover their interests.”
Power in Partnerships: The Rising Leaders Academy
Both school systems partner extensively with the local business community to forge lasting relationships between incoming students and regional employers.
The Rising Leaders Academy, for example, is a powerful collaboration between the Ames Regional Economic Alliance, Main Street Nevada and the Story City Greater Chamber Connection. The program is specifically structured to develop the community leadership potential of area high school juniors.
“It is a goal for us to provide area youth with a unique opportunity to interact with community leaders and institutions, explore educational and career options, and broaden their perspectives on community issues and the importance of leadership in their communities,” says Shannon Thiele, Vice President of affiliate programming for the Ames Regional Economic Alliance.
During the eight-month program, students hear from business and community leaders and explore topics related to entrepreneurship, college exploration, resume building and leadership development. The monthly sessions also incorporate interactive, hands-on team activities that encourage:
- Collaborative communication and public speaking
- Complex, real-time problem-solving
- Active neighborhood and civic engagement
“The Rising Leaders Academy serves as an important pipeline for future workforce development in the region by giving students a clearer understanding of local industries and potential career opportunities and by helping them envision a future here,” Thiele says.
Ultimately, by giving students a clearer understanding of local industries and potential career opportunities, the Rising Leaders Academy serves as a crucial pipeline for future workforce development – helping young professionals envision a prosperous, long-term future right here in central Iowa.
Get to Know the Ames Region
Want to learn more about living and working in Ames, IA? Check out the latest edition of Livability Ames, Iowa, and The Greater Boone, Hamilton & Story County Region.