The Waukee STW program begins with a career development course in the first term followed by an internship in the second. It employs Navigator to help students discover their career interests, and focuses on resume prep, workplace etiquette, and interviewing skills. Later, participating students apply for and are placed in college-level internships at a variety of local business partner sites based on their Kuder assessment results. In addition to the real world experience, students receive five community college credits upon completing the course and internship.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the economy, public health, state, and local governments received a federal stimulus bill (ESSER) to offer extra financial support to districts and schools across the country. When these funds became available to CCS, district leaders decided to obligate a portion of their available ESSER dollars toward additional Kuder system features to enhance the overall value of their college and career readiness program.
Combines education planning, career exploration, and workforce readiness in a single platform. Waukee STW students can identify their interests, skills and work values; plan for postsecondary education or training; find scholarships; explore career options; create resumes and electronic portfolios; and much more.
Offering Waukee STW students the opportunity to gain real-world work experience, Kuder works with STW program instructors to tailor internships to suit students’ interests. Students are immersed into various environments, including accounting, communications, client engagement, development, and human resources.
Offering Waukee STW students the opportunity to gain real-world work experience, Kuder works with STW program instructors to tailor internships to suit students’ interests. Students are immersed into various environments, including accounting, communications, client engagement, development, and human resources.
Dave and Cathy Gray say that at the beginning of the Waukee STW program, their daughter Mary Kate “was very uncertain about what she wanted to do, and a little frustrated about that.” The Kuder assessments provided “visible options,” and the confidence Mary Kate needed to pursue her career goals.
Mary Kate Gray says thinking about a future career can be, “a bit daunting … especially with the short time frame [between senior year and] college, but I think the Kuder assessments really specify what you’re good at and give you the confidence you need to say, ‘I can go after that job that I want.'”
