Going into my externship at the Workforce Development Council I really didn’t know what to expect or exactly what the Council did. Through this process I have learned so much about the opportunities the Council helps to provide to Idaho’s citizens. The different grant opportunities help Idahoans to become better placed in Idaho’s workforce.

The Youth Apprenticeship grant provides opportunities to gain the skills they need heading into the workforce by helping provide the tools needed for the apprenticeship and the on-the-job experience in every skill needed for that position. The Child Care grant is helping Child Care providers to gain the business skills necessary for running a successful business. While this is not an intended outcome, in order to apply for the grant they have to create a partnership with a local business, produce a budget plan that will be sustainable for an additional two years beyond the grant funds awarded, and come up with a plan that will expand their current enrollment. All of these things will help them to be more successful in running their program.

I am really excited to see the LAUNCH program expand into Idaho high schools this year. LAUNCH is such a great opportunity for adults and the graduating seniors to work towards the skills they need to be successful in their career path. The integration of Next Steps Idaho and the ability to use it as well as Idaho Connect to explore jobs, they are interested in is going to be such a great resource for our students especially. And the more local companies and organizations that join Idaho Connect, the more opportunity to explore careers right here in our state. I also love that it validates paths to careers outside of college by supporting funding for things like CDL licensing programs, technical programs, and other post-secondary non-degree programs.

This experience has been so amazing and the staff at WDC so great that it was sad to leave them at the end of my externship. I learned so much about the many opportunities Idaho residents have to learn and improve the skills they need to be successful in Idaho industry. It seems that we have so many more opportunities to find support moving forward than we did when I was growing up here.