Indiana Career Readiness Conference

Bridging Classroom to Career

Preliminary Agenda

Get a preview of the sessions and schedule for a day of focused learning, collaboration, and actionable strategies that connect classroom instruction to real-world opportunity. 

Find the sessions that speak to you and be sure to register today for the conference!

Please keep in mind that this agenda is subject to change. Check back for updates!

Pre-Conference Sessions

Designed for the early risers, the optional pre-conference sessions give attendees an opportunity to get a jump on the day. All sessions are repeated later in the schedule.

8:25 – 8:55 AM

Agilities in Action: Connecting Students’ Strengths & Interests to Careers
Amanda McCammon (DeBruce Foundation)

Exploring Indiana Career Explorer (INCE)
Bart Doan (Indiana Department of Workforce Development)

Designing High-Quality WBL with Indiana’s Training Plan
Emily Morphew (Ascend Indiana)

9:05 – 9:35 AM

Overall PCC Lesson Planning
Annette Combs (Benjamin Bosse High School)

Best Practices for Building Sustainable School–Employer Partnerships
Sally Saydshoev (Institute for Workforce Excellence at the Indiana Chamber of Commerce)

The New Indiana Diploma
Rebekah Frazer (Indiana Department of Education)
Lindsey Osos (Indiana Commission for Higher Education)

Welcome & Opening Keynote

Paul Ketcham, Assistant Secretary of Education for the State of Indiana

Breakout Block 1

10:20 – 11:00 AM

Overall PCC Lesson Planning
Annette Combs (Bosse High School)

Sustainable School–Employer Partnerships
Sally Saydshoev (Institute for Workforce Excellence at the Indiana Chamber of Commerce)

How To Build A Career Exploration Program At Your Middle School
Connor James (Indy Chamber)

Effective Practices in School-University Partnerships for College & Career Readiness
Leah Nellis (Indiana University)

Agilities in Action: Connecting Students’ Strengths & Interests to Careers
Amanda McCammon (DeBruce Foundation)

Bridging School & Industry
Brooke Marsh (CELL)

The New Indiana Diploma
Rebekah Frazer (Indiana Department of Education)
Lindsey Osos (Indiana Commission for Higher Education)

Exploring Indiana Career Explorer (INCE)
Bart Doan (Indiana Department of Workforce Development)

Designing High-Quality WBL with Indiana’s Training Plan
Emily Morphew (Ascend Indiana)

Roundtables (Multi-Sector Collaboration & Tools):
RAZ-32 • FFA • Pathful • Education Advanced • ACT Center • Skyepack

Breakout Block 2

11:10 – 11:50 AM

Registered Apprenticeship: A Journey to Success
Claire Berger (Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters)

Unlocking Opportunity: An introduction to Pre-/Registered Apprenticeships
Connor James (Indy Chamber)

Career Exploration & Soft Skills Development
Verna Liza Antonio-Caba (Career Girls)

Supporting Students Through College Access & Opportunities to Succeed in College
Ligia Zosel (Indiana Latino Institute)

Exploring AHEC: Expanding Health Career Pathways Beyond College Degrees
Gina Woodward (Central Indiana AHEC)

Counselor & Career Coach Collaboration
Rebekah Frazer & Jose Medina (Indiana Department of Education)

An Overview of Work-Based Learning in Indiana
Lindsey Osos (Indiana Commission for Higher Education)

Learning Through Work (Class Embedded Activities & Level 1 WBL)
Jason Graves (Indiana Department of Workforce Development)

Roundtables:
Assessment Tech • HOSA • Indiana National Guard • INvestEd • Fairbanks Foundation

Lunch & Vendor Networking

Breakout Block 3

12:50 – 1:20 PM

From Nervous to Confident: The Mock Interview Experience
Aubrei Teter (Central Nine Career Center)

IU Career Coaching Materials
Matt Rust (Indiana University)

Beyond the Bus: Reimagining Work-Based Learning Inside the Classroom
Kristin Fuller (STARTedUP Foundation)

ASK: Accessing Self Knowledge
Steven Doepker (Doepker Consulting Services)

Level Up Your Life: Trades, Skills, and Your Next Move
Theresa Lewis (George Washington High School)

Live Here, Work Here, Serve Here
Brandon Seabolt (Indiana National Guard)

Virtual Industry Projects for Every Indiana Student
Stephanie Lynch (Pathful Inc)

The Working Genius Framework
Shannon Mount (Inspire Success)

Breakout Block 4

1:30 – 2:00 PM

Agilities in Action: Connecting Students’ Strengths & Interests to Careers
Amanda McCammon (DeBruce Foundation)

What You Need to Know about: Preparing for College & Careers
Ben Carter (Inspire Success)

Tracking of all Career Coaching Framework Components (K-12)
Robbie Grimes (Education Advanced, Inc.)

Piloting the Courage Keepers Model for Middle School Success & Beyond
John Yeager (Yeager Leadership)

Modular Future
Shawna Vertrees (Step Ahead Academy)

Building Work Ethic & Readiness Skills that Employers Actually Want
Dr. Cice Carney (Portage High School)

UpSkill Youth Apprenticeship
Jen Staab (ROI: Regional Opportunities Initiative)

Industry Developed Team Challenges
Amy Werner (The Academy at LCSC PCAP Program)

Breakout Block 5

2:10 – 2:40 PM

The WBL Toolkit: Designing Diverse Career Experiences for Every Student
Jody French (Perry Central Jr./Sr. High School)

What You Need to Know about: Preparing for College & Careers
Ben Carter (Inspire Success)

7th Grade Graduation Plans & Indiana’s New Accountability Model
Sam Vidal (CIESC, Keep Indiana Learning)

Personality Islands Project
Quentin Smith (Rossville Consolidated School District)

CTE On the Go
Chyna Galloway (West Central CTE)

Building Future Healthcare Leaders: The IU Health High School Fellowship
Jenny Berry (Indianapolis Public Schools)

New Indiana Diploma: Enlistment & Service Seals
Lt Ryann Laky (Indiana National Guard)

Postconference

Optional sessions with a focus on collaboration among peers.

3:00 – 3:20 PM

New PCC Teacher Discussion Group

Resources & Lesson Planning Collaboration Session

Questions? Contact Aimee Portteus or Matt Fleck.

Assessment through Technology: Making Middle School PCC Count

Rachel Martin

Greenwood Middle School

As our state works to expand PCC into middle school, this multi-phase website portfolio offers a practical way to assess student growth in a space where learning is often exploratory, reflective, and difficult to measure.

Pathful

Stephanie Lynch

Pathful’s Industry-Led Projects (ILPs) were built for exactly this moment!

Attendees will learn how Pathful’s Industry-Led Projects (ILPs) help Indiana students meet the 75-hour Work-Based Learning graduation requirement — without ever leaving the building. Each ILP provides 30–40 hours of documented, IDOE-approved WBL experience across all career clusters. Each ILP is an authentic, industry-created challenge that places students in the role of a real professional — from Financial Analyst to Aerospace Engineer to Epidemiologist — tackling actual workplace problems alongside industry mentors.

7th Grade Graduation Plans
and Indiana’s New Accountability Model

Samantha Vidal

CIESC, Keep Indiana Learning

Learn how 7th grade graduation plans can drive engagement, pathways, and outcomes aligned to Indiana’s new accountability model.
 
This is a great opportunity for school counselors, administrators, and student support staff looking to align their work with accountability priorities in a meaningful way.

Education Advanced

Robbie Grimes

Education Advanced – built for educators, by educators – exists to simplify the work that keeps schools moving so that every educator can focus less on administrative tasks and more on making an impact. Pathways allows schools to efficiently create, track, and analyze graduation and career pathways to ensure secondary students are on track for graduation and beyond. 

RAZ-32: A Model for Multi-Sector Collaboration to Activate Indiana’s New Diploma

Neal Adams

Superintendent, Randolph Eastern Schools

RAZ-32 shows what is possible when schools, employers, and community partners come together to create meaningful, career-connected pathways that meet the promise of Indiana’s new diploma.

Exploring AHEC: Expanding Health Career Pathways Beyond College Degrees

Gina Woodward

Central Indiana AHEC

Expose students early and often to hands-on career exploration opportunities so that, as their skills and interests evolve, their confidence, motivation, and engagement  grow alongside them in a purposeful and sustainable way.

Agilities in Action:
Connecting Students' Strengths & Interests to Careers

Amanda Williams McCammon

The DeBruce Foundation

We can’t wait to share our turnkey FREE tools & resources aligned to the Indiana PCC & employability skills standards AND the Indiana career coaching framework!  

Industry Developed Team Challenges

Amy Werner

The Academy at LCSC PCAP Program

See how authentic industry designed challenges can transform work based learning experiences. Empower students to solve real world problems and build future-ready skills.

Effective Practices in School-University Partnerships for College and Career Readiness

Leah Nellis (lead presenter)

Indiana University

Discover how schools and universities can build and sustain partnerships that support students early and often – filling gaps in programming that strengthen career and college readiness over time.

CO-PRESENTERS

Meredith Seewer
8th Grade Counselor, Highland Hills Middle School

Amanda Langdon
Indiana College Core Program Manager & Pathway Specialist, Indiana University Southeast

Monica Savas
Business Teacher, Southwood Jr/Sr High 

Cheryl Schlemmer
P-12 Pathway Specialist, Indiana University Kokomo

Modular Future

Shawna Vertrees

Step Ahead Academy

When asking students to plan for their future it is important to provide flexibility from the ground up. 

Career Exploration &
Soft Skills Development

Verna Liza Antonio-Caba

Career Girls

Career Girls Club is a powerful way to complement your school’s extended learning program and help students build a strong foundation for lifelong success.

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