Schools, Colleges and Businesses Collaborate to Fill Workforce Gaps in Kearney, NE

Courtesy of the University of Nebraska Kearney

In Kearney, Nebraska, partnerships between educational institutions and the business community play a crucial role in keeping a pipeline of talent flowing. Colleges and schools work together to align curricula with industry needs, create financial opportunities, provide hands-on learning experiences and help meet the region’s ever evolving workforce demands. Local businesses, in turn, benefit from a steady stream of well-trained talent who are already familiar with the community and invested in its success. 

Courtesy of the University of Nebraska Kearney

Working Together 

A prime example is the Kearney Health Opportunities Program (KHOP), a collaboration between the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) and University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) that is transforming rural health care by creating a conduit for students from rural communities to enter medical professions and return to serve their hometowns. 

Started in 2010 with just five premed students, the program has expanded to include 12 health care career pathways and now serves more than 200 students. KHOP offers select students a full scholarship to UNK and guaranteed admission to UNMC. 

“This program is about recruiting those talented students from rural areas, then providing them the academic and financial support they need to pursue a health care career and ultimately transition to UNMC and back into the workforce in rural Nebraska,” says Peggy Abels, director of health sciences at UNK. 

Abels says students are assigned an upperclassman mentor with whom they meet weekly, as well as academic success coaching and help with study skills and transitioning to the college campus experience. 

Courtesy of the University of Nebraska Kearney

Career Prep 

The rural health care pipeline begins as early as middle school through initiatives such as UNK’s Health Science Explorers program, which introduces middle and high school students to health care careers through campus visits, summer camps and a yearlong program for juniors and seniors. 

Kearney High School offers a health care career pathway and students are exposed to content that prepares them for careers in the medical field, says Jason Mundorf, superintendent of Kearney Public Schools. The KHOP program and scholarship at UNK is a natural progression of that training. 

Courtesy of the University of Nebraska Kearney

Mundorf says Kearney Public Schools collaborates closely with UNK through many initiatives, including dual enrollment and work-based learning, to connect students to high-demand fields, such as construction management, health care, education and technology. He points to the Kearney Teachers Tomorrow Scholarship Program, which encourages students to pursue careers in the region’s schools. 

“These partnerships really shine when communities can see the investment in the bright and talented young people we have here and in the future workforce and how these programs can keep the best and brightest talent home,” Mundorf says. 

The community is very forward thinking when it creates partnerships to intentionally keep students home by offering these sorts of opportunities, Mundorf says. 

“It gives students a true roadmap from high school to professional work in areas that they’re interested in,” he says. “That’s when the magic happens.” 

Courtesy of the University of Nebraska Kearney

Experience Is Key 

Partnerships between education and industry also mean students benefit from internships, real-world projects and networking opportunities that align with workforce demands. For example, UNK’s Construction Management program is thriving. It has had a 100% job placement rate for several years now, thanks to connections to many Nebraska companies. 

“This is a pipeline for companies, and they want to get students in that pipeline as early as they can,” says Jared Burgoon, assistant professor in the UNK Construction Management program. 

The program emphasizes hands-on learning, preparing students for leadership roles in the construction industry. Students gain practical experience and expertise in project management, cost estimation, safety and materials. 

“I feel like many people hear the word construction and automatically picture hammer swinging or vocational education,” Burgoon says. “Early in their careers, our graduates often have the opportunity to manage complex multimillion-dollar projects, and this requires an in-depth understanding of building processes, interpersonal relationships and business acumen.”