Johnson County Employers Key to Student Career Readiness
Indiana’s new high school diploma framework represents a strategic systemic change designed to increase student readiness and intentionality. The goal is to move beyond minimum requirements by utilizing optional readiness seals to align a student’s high school experience with their unique post-graduation goals. This structural change places a significant, quantifiable demand on our business community for verified work-based learning (WBL) experiences.
Using our current freshman class (the Class of 2029) of approximately 1,200 students in Perry Township as a reference point provides a helpful way to understand the potential demand for work-based learning opportunities. In recent years, approximately 60% of Perry Township graduates pursue college after high school. If a similar percentage of this class, around 720 students, were to pursue the Honors Plus Enrollment Seal, each would need to complete at least 75 hours of work-based learning during their high school career. Collectively, this would require our high schools to provide opportunities for more than 54,000 hours of work-based learning, supported through strong partnerships with local businesses. These experiences are critical in helping students develop essential skills such as communication, collaboration, and work ethic.
Conversely, if the remaining 40% of the cohort (about 480 students) plan to enter the workforce after high school and pursue employability seals, the total number of required hours varies significantly among the different seals. If those students wish to pursue the Employment Honors Seal, they must complete 150 hours of work-based learning. Should all 480 employment-focused students pursue this path, it would require 72,000 hours of WBL during their high school career. However, for those aiming for the high-rigor Honors Plus Employment Seal, the total required WBL escalates significantly to 650 hours. This high-end commitment for all 480 students would necessitate 312,000 hours of WBL, often fulfilled through intensive experiences like Pre-Apprenticeships or Modern Youth Apprenticeships, which are designed to ensure the graduate earns an advanced credential of value, such as an Advanced Industry Certificate. (It’s important to note that this projection does not account for the additional needs of other large school districts on the Southside of Indianapolis and in Johnson County.)
This massive requirement for WBL underscores that community partnership is no longer optional; it is a structural prerequisite for student graduation and readiness at the highest level. The success of the new diploma framework and the ability of Perry Township Schools to deliver a pipeline of highly skilled, credentialed talent is directly tied to the ability of our local businesses to partner with schools on these necessary WBL opportunities. We are asking our partners to help us define student readiness and, through internships, mentorships, and apprenticeships, verify that our graduates possess the skills needed for post-secondary success. To support your company’s workforce pipeline and connect with area high school students, please reach out to Jennifer Hollingshead to learn more about Aspire’s School to Work Program.
Brian Knight
Director of Secondary Education
Perry Township Schools
317-789-3717