A Kokomo-based business became the first in Indiana to start an Earn & Learn program, which is a collaboration between business owners and the state to offer new hands-on job training and learning experiences.

Staff from Stewart's Healthcare Consultants (SHC), a professional consultation service for health care providers, was recognized at Inventrek Technology Park Tuesday for their newly established program to offer various medical industry certifications to high schoolers and adults.

“This is the first of something that we hope generations from now there’s going to be thousands and thousands of Hoosiers that have been a part of Earn & Learn. It all has to start somewhere, right? And I think it’s starting right here in Kokomo,” said Bob Birge of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD).

On March 1, Gov. Eric Holcomb established the Office of Apprenticeship & Work-Based Learning, housed in the DWD, through an executive order.

That order reads: “Having a workforce that is prepared for a rapidly-evolving state, national and world economy is essential for our State and its people to thrive and prosper … it is imperative that our State promptly take steps to enhance education and workforce training in order to build capacity and foster talent and skills to meet the current and future needs of employers.”

Blair Milo, the former mayor of LaPorte, who left that position to fill in the recently created state cabinet seat secretary of career connections and talents, addressed the crowd at Inventrek, which included Mayor Greg Goodnight, Howard County Commissioner Paul Wyman, State Rep. Mike Karickoff and other officials.

2017 saw 30,158 new job commitments across Indiana – a new record, she said. 2018 is poised to surpass that number.

“It’s exciting to be able to see that kind of growth, but as we’re thinking about things here today of how we develop those talent pipelines to be able to fill those opportunities, it’s key for us to focus on the solutions that help develop those pieces that connect the talent to the opportunity. And what’s the fastest way to do that? It’s growing Earn & Learn programs,” Milo said.

Tony Stewart, owner of SHC, teamed up with Carrie Lively, state director of Apprenticeship & Work-Based Learning, to form the new program that offers high school juniors certified nursing assistant (CNA), phlebotomy and Lean 6 Sigma certifications on top of job training.

“My background’s in education and I’m very familiar with the limitations of students getting into the healthcare field, being that across the state of Indiana really the only way a high school kid can get into the world of CNA or healthcare is by going to a career center and going through that model,” said Lively.

High school seniors in the Earn & Learn program will continue to build on that experience and earn further certifications.

“Students are graduating from high school withseven credentials, 10 whole credits with Ivy

Tech and real-world experience, and that’s kind of the goal here … we’re changing the model of what was, to what we need as a state,” said Lively, adding that the goal is to quickly get people into a career.

SHC operates out of Inventrek, where it has recently set up a room that replicates a retirement facility bedroom, and has classroom space designated to teach students and adults seeking medical certification.

Dana Stewart, chief medical officer and vice president of SHC, said the curriculum for students lasts one semester and will involve working in actual area nursing homes for hands-on training.
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