Thursday 150 sophomore girls from Tippecanoe Valley High School and Warsaw Community High School will attend the Fall 2023 N.E.W. Workshop (Nontraditional Employment for Women) at the Warsaw Community High School TRAC, 1 Tiger Lane, Warsaw.
The N.E.W. Workshop is designed to introduce young women to a variety of nontraditional career paths, increase enrollment in nontraditional Career & Technical Education (CTE) courses and promote awareness of innovative employment opportunities, according to a news release from Warsaw Community Schools.
The day will begin with a keynote address from officer Paige Wood of the Warsaw Police Department. Wood began her career in education, earning degrees in elementary and special education from Indiana Wesleyan University. She spent four years at Washington STEM Academy before bravely deciding to follow a lifelong dream of serving in law enforcement, stated the release.
Now a police officer, Wood is trained and certified in various specialized fields, including child forensic interviewing, peer support coordination, field training, bike patrol, rescue diving and crisis intervention. Her early experiences in law enforcement, notably surviving a violent assault, led her to advocate for the mental health of first responders. This advocacy inspired her to help found Project Ebenezer, a nonprofit that provides mental health and wellness resources to first responders in the Kosciusko Community. Wood serves as the president of Project Ebenezer.
Following her talk, students will participate in roundtable discussions, choosing six occupations to explore in-depth. Presenters will provide valuable insights into education and training requirements, work environments, salary expectations and the unique benefits these careers offer women. Career fields showcased will include architecture, automotive, engineering, cybersecurity, law enforcement, oncology and more.
In the afternoon, hands-on “Try It” sessions will offer students the chance to experience various careers firsthand. Activities will span fields such as architecture, automotive work, fingerprinting and firefighting, providing a unique opportunity for engagement and exploration.
This event is presented by the Warsaw Area Career Center, with support from: platinum-level sponsor, Performance Services; gold-level sponsors, Warsaw Education Foundation, TranZstar; silver-level sponsors: Orthoworx, Kiwanis, Warsaw Orthodontics, Lake City Animal Health and Wellness Center, Wildman and The Dr. Dane & Mary Louise Miller Foundation; and bronze-level sponsors: Culligan of Warsaw, Havrilla & Nolin, LLC, EnPak, Paragon Medical, Polk Equipment and Vincennes University.
The N.E.W. Workshop presents an opportunity for young women to expand their career horizons and explore fields they may not have previously considered. By exposing students to a diverse range of nontraditional occupations, this workshop aims to inspire the next generation of female leaders, stated the release.
For more information about the N.E.W. Workshop, please contact Emily Campbell, assistant director of the Warsaw Area Career Center, at 574-371-5074, ext. 2105, or Holly Ault, WACC program coordinator, at 574-371-5074, ext. 2512.