Don Wood Foundation

Last week, the Don Wood Foundation and the Questa Education Foundation formed a regional coalition called CAPET, to increase attainment and bolster regional talent needs in the 12-county region of northeast Indiana: Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Grant, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, and Whitley counties. 👏 ⏰ 🪂 The Coalition’s work comes from the study we conducted with Questa Education Foundation, which boils down to these key points: Northeast Indiana is not graduating enough students with postsecondary credentials to meet critical talent needs. End the debate between college and the trades. Reframe postsecondary education as lifelong learning and career development, including all pathways. Students of all ages pursuing any postsecondary credential or degree need better access to individualized support to navigate abundant options and remove barriers to enrollment and completion. Visit the Don Wood Foundation's website by clicking here, for ways to engage, including prioritizing initial ideas for the Coalition’s working groups. On the same page, you can access the study and sign up to stay engaged with our work. We hope you will contribute to the changes needed to keep our community strong now and in the future. Sign up for periodic communication regarding CAPET. 🖊️ 🙂↕️ https://lnkd.in/eZ7CfXDX

Entrepreneurship was near and dear to Don. We love innovators and community-minded leadership. We can't wait to learn at the NIIC!

Thank you to all the outstanding leaders, educators, nonprofits, and business professionals who joined us yesterday for an impactful breakfast event hosted with the Questa Education Foundation. To tackle the challenges and opportunities we face, we will need to work together to create a meaningful and sustainable impact. Special thanks to our speakers for helping to outline the vision as we embark on the work of the Coalition for Advancing Postsecondary Education and Training. Laura M. Macknick, MA CFRE, Aisha R. Arrington, M.S., Elizabeth Bushnell, Bob Vitoux, Patrick H. Buesching, Dr. JoAnne Alvarez #WorkforceDevelopment #EducationAttainment #CAPET #DonWoodFoundation #CTE #QuestaFoundation #NortheastIndiana

Engaging Conversation! On Wednesday, the Don Wood Foundation had the privilege of hosting thought leaders from across the region—including a guest all the way from California, Belen Vargas with Harbor Freight Tools for Schools, and Tony Harl from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. During the conversation, we tackled pressing issues in Career and Technical Education (CTE) and postsecondary attainment. Through rich discussions, we explored new strategies, cross-state insights, and opportunities to enhance pathways for students entering skilled trades. As our mission takes off on a national scale, we’re proud to lead the way in shaping the future of workforce development and educational access. Here’s to building brighter futures together! #CTE #PostsecondarySuccess #Trailblazers #DonWoodFoundation #QuestaFoundation #NortheastIndiana

Lights...Camera...Action! This Wednesday, the Don Wood Foundation and Questa Education Foundation will host the Coalition for Advancing Postsecondary Education and Training breakfast. This vital event will focus on education and workforce needs in our 12-county region of northeast Indiana. We’ll dive into the key findings from the Advancing Postsecondary Education and Training Study, which aims to enhance postsecondary attainment, tackle barriers, and align educational outcomes with regional employer demands. To set the stage for this important discussion, we created a video featuring insights from local students. We wanted to amplify their voices and experiences because they are at the heart of this initiative. Here are some behind-the-scenes photos from our day shooting at different locations, including the Amp Lab at Electric Works, and Wayne High School. By sharing their perspectives on challenges and aspirations, we hope to inspire attendees to meaningfully engage and explore actionable solutions to support our students and adult learners. We look forward to welcoming our attendees this Wednesday. Together, we can address the pressing needs of our region and foster pathways for success! 💪🎓 #EducationForAll #DonWoodFoundation #QuestaEducationFoundation #NortheastIndiana #CommunityImpact #FWCS

🌟 Exciting Manufacturing Day for Future Innovators! 🌟 Thanks to the planning by Lori Heuer, the talent development director at Whitley County Consolidated Schools Career and Technical Education program, last week the entire 6th grade class from Indiana Springs Middle School embarked on an incredible journey into the world of advanced manufacturing. Before they even went “site-seeing,” the students learned about the manufacturing industry, what sort of soft skills and hard skills are required to be successful in the workforce. They even researched the companies they were about to visit including: ChromaSource Inc., 80/20, Inc., Landmaster, Micropulse, Inc., and Restoration Medical Polymers (RMP). From the moment the students arrived, their eyes were filled with curiosity. They toured state-of-the-art facilities, saw advanced machinery in action, and got to engage directly with industry professionals. The companies welcomed the students with open arms, encouraging them to ask questions and learn about the diverse paths they could take in the manufacturing field. And boy, did they ask a lot of questions. It was inspiring to see their excitement as they discovered how they could turn their interests into future careers. We want to extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to the amazing companies that shared their knowledge with WCCS’ students. Your commitment to supporting education and nurturing the next generation of innovators is truly commendable. By providing these hands-on experiences, you are not only inspiring young minds, but also investing in the future of our community and the local manufacturing workforce. To all the students who participated, we hope you left with new insights, big dreams, and the belief that you can achieve anything you set your minds to. Remember, the world of advanced manufacturing is filled with possibilities just waiting for your unique talents and ideas. Here is a peek at tours from Micropulse, Inc., and Landmaster. Let’s continue to support our local businesses and educational initiatives that empower our youth. Together, we can build a brighter future! 💡🔧🚀 #DonWoodFoundation #AdvancedManufacturing #FutureInnovators #ThankYou #EducationMatters

We are tickled pink to announce our latest addition to the Don Wood Foundation team. Help us welcome Emilia Miles as our new Communications Strategist. We also have more good news to share; Lizette Downey was promoted from Marketing Manager to the Director of Strategic Initiatives. Don was a people person, as are Emilia and Lizette. We appreciate their community mindedness, and we look forward to watching them bloom.

When you happen to fall into your life's passion, you just know it's where you want and need to be. Jazmin found hers while still a teenager. We're not all so fortunate, but simply seeing what's out there, the options grow, the possibilities stretch, and unexplainable things can happen. This is one of those stories.

We all benefit when people are empowered to pursue their passion. #FillTheFunnel #DonWoodFoundation

Do you think of manufacturing as a job only for those people who didn't go to college? Well, it has changed just like technology has. Manufacturing requires all skill levels, including college degrees. Explore before you cross it off your list of career options.