Inspire Southeast Wisconsin

Building Our Future seeks to help Kenosha County’s children not only succeed in early childhood & K-12 education but also post-secondary.  The Inspire Southeast Wisconsin program, commonly referred to as Inspire, is changing the way students think about and prepare for both their post-secondary education and careers. 
 
“Inspire is the platform that allows employers to connect directly with the schools,” says Brooke Infusino, KABA’s Director of Talent Development. The online platform allows students and educational staff to explore career paths within companies throughout the region. 
 
The Inspire program is active in seven counties in the Southeast region alone, and, this year, is being piloted in Kenosha County at Lance Middle School and Tremper High School.
 
Through the Inspire program, employers can interact with students both online and in person. A simple way to get involved is for a company to create a company profile with information about what they do and the type of career opportunities within.  “It’s the link between education and business,” Infusino says.
 
Employers may also designate career coaches, which allows employees to interact and answer students’ questions regarding specific career pathways and job functions. 
 
Employers also have options to offer real-world, career-based learning experiences to middle and high school students, such as internships, employer panel discussions, youth apprenticeships, company tours, and job shadowing. These meaningful experiences are an important part of career exploration for youth. 
 
“[Sixty-four percent] of students identified personal experiences as having the greatest influence over their career decisions,” according to a report from the Manufacturing Institute, a non-partisan affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers.
 
If you or your company are interested in learning more about Inspire Southeast Wisconsin, please visit their website or contact Brooke Infusino, KABA’s Director of Talent Development.
 
How You Can Help
 Let’s help our youth prepare for their future careers and post-graduation plans.  Consider:

• Creating a company profile on Inspire Southeast Wisconsin. 
• Exploring the variety of career-based learning opportunities you can offer at your place of business. Contact Brooke Infusino, KABA’s Director of Talent Development, for more information.
• Encouraging your middle and high school student to explore and consider post-secondary & career options

Article written by Marley Uran
Communications Intern
University of Wisconsin Parkside
​Published in the Kenosha News

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