Merrillville seniors got the experience of a lifetime when they attended a weeklong boot camp on college and career readiness. Seniors participated in college and career information sessions, visited local colleges and toured NWI businesses. In partnership with READY NWI and Center of Workforce Innovations, Merrillville seniors were able to tour Modern Forge, IBEW, AeroMet Industries, NIPSCO’s Bailly Generating Station, Alverno, Railcats, Task Force Tips, Centier Bank, and Port of Indiana. Thanks in part to CWI’s vision, seniors were able to learn what kind of skills employers are seeking and what kind of jobs exist that are sustaining economic growth in NWI.
Before touring NWI businesses, seniors attended career sessions where they completed career interest surveys and did career research, learned about workplace ethics and social media, learned interview tips and had mock interviews and worked on job applications, cover letters and resumes. The college sessions provided information about how to apply for college, how to seek out letters of recommendation, how to apply for scholarships and financial aid and how to write application essays. Seniors then visited IUN, Purdue North Central and Ivy Tech in Valparaiso where they got a tour of campus and found out the application requirements for IUN, PNC and Ivy Tech.
Seniors also had the opportunity to hear from Merrillville graduates about their college experiences and how to best maneuver through the obstacles of applying to and choosing a college that best fits them and their career pathway. Students commented that boot camp should be a mandatory program for all and that it is helping guide their decision-making based on the knowledge and experience they gained during boot camp. At the end of the week, seniors celebrated their successful completion of boot camp with a “graduation” ceremony and received a survival kit that will help them meet deadlines for college admissions or meet requirements for guaranteeing a job after high school graduation.