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

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

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

Bridging School & Industry: Transforming Pathways for Disengaged Students through Work-Based Learning
Brooke Marsh, CELL

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

9:05 – 9:35 AM

PCC Lesson Planning
Annette Combs, Benjamin Bosse High School

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

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

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

Welcome & Opening Keynote

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

Breakout Block 1

10:20 – 11:00 AM

Fully Utilizing Indiana Career Explorer (INCE)
Bart Doan, Indiana Department of Workforce Development

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

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

How Career Coaches & School Counselors can Effectively Collaborate
Rebekah Frazer & Jose Medina, Indiana Department of Education

RAZ-32: A Model for Multi-Sector Collaboration to Activate Indiana’s New Diploma
Jo Ann McCowan, Rural Alliance Zone 32 (RAZ-32)

FFA

Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway (INCAP)
Shannon Elward, Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation

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

Breakout Block 2

11:10 – 11:50 AM

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

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

Personality Islands Project
Quentin Smith, Rossville Consolidated School District

Work-Based Learning without Leaving the Building: Virtual Industry Projects for Every Indiana Student
Stephanie Lynch, Pathful, Inc

Education Advanced

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

Lunch & Vendor Networking

Breakout Block 3

12:50 – 1:20 PM

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

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

Experiencing INCAP Apprenticeships: A Hands-On Event For 9th & 10th Graders
Connor James, Indy Chamber

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

ACT Center for Impact & Learning
Tina Gridiron

Career Pathways by Skyepack
Brennan Martin

IU Luddy School of Infomatics

Breakout Block 4

1:30 – 2:00 PM

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

Indiana University Career Coaching Materials
Matt Rust, Indiana University

UpSkill Youth Apprenticeship
Jen Staab, ROI: Regional Opportunities Initiative

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

Making Pathways Work: Clear Tracking, Real Readiness, and Less Stress
Robbie Grimes, Education Advanced, Inc.

Assessment through Technology: Making Middle School PCC Count
Rachel Martin, Greenwood Middle School

HOSA

 

Breakout Block 5

2:10 – 2:40 PM

CTE On the Go
Chyna Galloway, West Central CTE

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

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

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

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

INvestEd
Susan Mayberry

U of Indy

Breakout Block 6

2:50 – 3:20 PM

ASK-Accessing Self Knowledge
Steven Doepker, Consulting Services

Career Discovery in Action: Engaging Students Through Meetings, Partnership, & Junior Achievement Programming
Emma Wright, Junior Achievement of Central Indiana

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

Modular Future
Shawna Vertrees, Step Ahead Academy

The In’s and Out’s of Preparing for College & Careers
Ben Carter, Inspire Success

Working Genius
Shannon Mount, Inspire Success

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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