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Eau Claire schools roll out career pathways, target 150 youth apprentices in five years
Summary
District staff presented new academic-and-career planning materials, eight completed career pathways and steps to expand work-based learning, industry credentials and postsecondary partnerships; officials set a five-year goal of 150 youth apprentices (45 currently).
Eau Claire Area School District officials on Tuesday presented a multi-year plan to expand college and career readiness, including the introduction of career pathways in the district academic-and-career-planning (ACP) guide and a goal to increase youth apprenticeship participation to 150 students over five years.
District staff said the effort is intended to give students clearer course sequences, more opportunities for dual credit and industry credentials, and stronger business partnerships to support work-based learning. Michelle Radke, director of secondary programming and postsecondary readiness, led the presentation and framed the work as aligning curriculum, staffing and community partners so students “can experience success” after high school.
The presentation listed 16 career pathways; staff said eight are complete and available now in the ACP guide (the district asked attendees to turn to pages 12–25 of the guide). The business pathway, for example, includes a four-year course sequence, opportunities for transcripted (dual) credits and an end-point recommendation of a youth apprenticeship. The health science pathway calls out steps for students to complete CNA, EMR and EMT trainings through Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) and to take biology and chemistry at specified grades to qualify for a pre-nursing/health academy.
Sam Ochsner, a Memorial High School counselor, said counselors have begun using the pathway templates in academic conferences to give students a visual planning map. “All they need to do is ask, but they always bring in the question, ‘I don’t know what to ask,’ ” Ochsner said, describing how the templates accelerate conversations with students and families.
Teachers described ongoing curriculum rewrites. Alisa Schroeder, family and consumer sciences teacher and department chair at North High School, said teachers have written or are writing curriculum for 13 CTE courses spanning agriculture, business and marketing, hospitality and tourism, health science, construction, transportation and information technology. Schroeder also described reviving Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) such as HOSA and DECA to provide competitive and certification opportunities for students.
Staff detailed several community partnerships: Manufacturing SOS Alliance provided and installed lathes at North High and trained staff; Lippert Manufacturing is sponsoring a free welding academy and associated welding youth apprenticeship; the Pablo Group and the Eau Claire Schools Foundation underwrite CNA program spots for economically disadvantaged students; and the Healthcare Workforce Training Institute is a partner for credentialing. Junior Achievement helped run a new career-speaker series to expose students to different pathways.
Britney Holden, Youth Apprenticeship coordinator at Memorial, said the district currently has about 45 youth apprentices and is working to scale that number. “We are hoping to start our first annual career fair” this year to expand access and connect sophomores and juniors with employers, she said.
Radke and other staff spelled out next steps: finish the remaining eight pathways, continue curriculum writing in coming months, identify facility and equipment needs that inform budget requests, and convene advisory boards in spring for industry feedback.
The board’s discussion touched on inclusion and access for students with disabilities; one commissioner asked about aligning vocational preparation and Project SEARCH with the pathways. Staff said they are partnering with special education to expand work-based options and noted specific CVTC collaborations already in place. Board members also encouraged continuing outreach to parents and community partners to lower barriers to asking questions about pathways and dual-credit opportunities.
District staff characterized the pathways work as part of a broader instructional strategic plan begun in 2021, intended to knit together guaranteed and viable curriculum, professional learning for teachers and improved student services.
Board members welcomed the update and encouraged staff to publish finished pathways online as they are completed and to continue to develop clear communications for families.
