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Naperville 203 highlights growth of workforce innovation council and CTE pathways
Summary
District staff told the board the Workforce Innovation Council has helped double student participation in career pathways and expand internship and endorsement opportunities; the council includes industry, higher‑education and nonprofit partners and supports internships, endorsements and credential attainment.
District staff presented the Workforce Innovation Council’s work to the Naperville Community Unit School District 203 Board on May 18, describing steady growth in career‑pathway endorsements, internships and community partnerships intended to increase students’ college‑and‑career readiness.
Jackie Claremont, director of community relations, said the council — a collaboration of business, higher‑education and nonprofit leaders — supports pathway alignment, internships and classroom connections. "Our goal this evening is to share more about the council, highlight the impact this group is having on our students and community, and outline the next steps for this work moving forward," Claremont said.
Andrea Shepanski, lead principal of educational innovation and workforce development, and Matt Langus, director of innovation and learning, outlined data showing pathway growth: district staff said pathway participation rose from roughly 1,200 to 2,300 students this year, that 97 percent of students in grades 6–12 completed career‑interest surveys, and that seniors are completing dual‑credit courses at high rates; the district currently offers 13 pathway endorsement options and plans to submit additional endorsements in engineering and welding for school year 2027.
Presenters emphasized internship structure: students typically complete about 60 hours for internship capstone experiences and district staff noted the board‑funded internship coordinator positions at both high schools have helped expand placements. The district described ongoing needs — particularly in health care and accounting/finance internships — and said it is actively recruiting new industry partners.
Board members praised the council’s progress, asked how community members can volunteer or nominate partners, and requested the district publish a more complete list of partner organizations so the board and public can publicly thank them.
What happens next: staff said they will continue to recruit partners, pursue pathway endorsements for engineering and welding, and provide periodic updates to the board on internship placements and endorsement outcomes.
