Students earn thousands of industry credentials; Textron highlights internship pipeline

The board heard that Wichita Public Schools students earned 4,419 unique industry‑recognized credentials last year, a district presenter said at the Jan. 12 meeting. Tim Hamlin, executive director for College and Career Readiness, said some credentials are reported only at year end, so midyear totals appear lower. He and teachers emphasized that credentials include certifications like ServSafe, OSHA and Microsoft Office Specialist, and that they serve as both safety checks for lab work and direct pathways to internships and entry‑level jobs.

Two seniors from Wichita East High School described how NCCER carpentry modules, Microsoft Office certifications and other credentials helped them secure internships and prepared them for postsecondary study. Michelle Gifford of Textron Aviation described the company’s partnerships with district programs, reported growth in summer intern hires from USD 259 (38% of interns in 2024 and 48% in 2025 came from USD 259 per her remarks) and said the company values credentialed students for hiring and paid summer internships.

Board members asked how credentials are publicized to middle and incoming high school students; students and staff recommended earlier outreach and stronger teacher‑level advocacy so students can select pathways in freshman year. District staff said a living credentials document is available for board review and that programming is available across all high schools.