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Black Hawk Region Pathways

Leadership Community

Black Hawk Region Pathways is dedicated to expanding community-wide systems that ensure equitable access to career exploration and post-secondary opportunities for all students. By actively engaging businesses and agencies, we aim to meet local needs and bolster regional economic development. Our commitment includes fostering work-based learning experiences that bridge the gap between education and the workforce, promoting inclusive growth and long-term success for every student.

Led By

Black Hawk College

Areas of Expertise

  • Dual Credit Programs: Enabling students to earn college credits while still in high school, ensuring a smoother transition to higher education and reducing the time and cost to degree completion.
  • Career Exploration: Providing comprehensive career guidance and resources, helping students identify their interests and strengths, and aligning them with viable career paths.
  • Apprenticeships and Internships: Establishing robust apprenticeship and internship programs that offer hands-on experience, skill development, and direct pathways to employment.
  • Regional Collaboration and Commitment: Promoting a cohesive regional strategy that involves collaboration with educational institutions, businesses, and economic development agencies to address workforce needs and drive sustainable economic growth.

By leveraging these areas of expertise, Black Hawk Region Pathways seeks to attract more business partners and economic development agencies. This collaboration will strengthen our existing initiatives and expand our reach and impact, creating a sustainable and dynamic ecosystem for student success and regional prosperity.

Prioritized Focus Areas

  • Health Sciences (HS)
  • Manufacturing, Engineering Technology, and Trades (METT)
  • Information Technology (IT)
  • Finance and Business Services (FBS)

Key Successes

  • Launched a Pilot Regional Intermediary Center: Successfully initiated a pilot of a regional intermediary center in collaboration with three school districts—Moline Coal Valley, Rock Island-Milan, and United Township—fostering enhanced coordination and resource sharing among educational institutions.
  • Developed Comprehensive College and Career Pathway Endorsements (CCPEs): Partnered with K-12 educational institutions to develop and implement multiple College and Career Pathway Endorsements (CCPEs), providing students with clear and actionable routes to post-secondary education and career success.
  • Established Regional Pathways through the Quad City Youth Apprentice Consortium: Collaborated closely with the Quad City Youth Apprentice Consortium to create robust regional pathways in high-demand fields such as Welding, CNC Manufacturing, IT Software Engineering, IT EST, Bank Teller, CNA, and pre-apprenticeship Electrician programs. We continue to develop additional apprenticeship opportunities to meet evolving industry needs.
  • Transitioned to Xello for Enhanced Career Planning: The Quad City Career and Technical Consortium successfully transitioned the region from Career Cruising to Xello, significantly expanding capabilities for students and educators in career planning and exploration, thereby enhancing the overall educational experience and preparedness of our students.

These achievements highlight our commitment to innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement in preparing students for successful futures.

2-Year Goals

  • Expand Employer Partnerships:
    • Objective: Increase the number of employer partners by 30% to provide a wider array of work-based learning opportunities.
    • Action Plan: Develop targeted outreach strategies, create partnership incentives, and host networking events to engage local businesses and economic development agencies.
  • Enhance Equitable Access to Work-Based Learning:
    • Objective: Ensure that at least 50% of students from underrepresented groups participate in apprenticeships and internships.
    • Action Plan: Implement targeted recruitment initiatives, provide additional support services, and collaborate with community organizations to remove barriers to participation.
  • Develop Customized Post-Secondary and Career Education Programs:
    • Objective: Launch at least three new customized career education programs tailored to local industry needs and student interests.
    • Action Plan: Conduct needs assessments with employer partners, design flexible program structures, and integrate dual credit and certification options to enhance student pathways.
  • Strengthen Regional Collaboration:
    • Objective: Establish a regional advisory council comprising key stakeholders from education, business, and economic development sectors to guide program development and expansion.
    • Action Plan: Facilitate regular meetings, create subcommittees focused on specific initiatives, and ensure continuous feedback and alignment with regional economic goals.
  • Monitor and Evaluate Program Impact:
    • Objective: Implement a comprehensive evaluation system to measure the success of work-based learning programs and make data-driven improvements.
    • Action Plan: Develop key performance indicators, conduct annual surveys of students and employers, and publish impact reports to share progress and outcomes with stakeholders.

Leadership Community Updates

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Network Organizers: Advance Illinois, Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University, and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission