PAST Foundation's Workforce Collaborative and Industry Credential Educator Fellowships
The PAST Foundation's Industry Recognized Credential (IRC) Fellowships empower educators with targeted professional development and strategic training. These fellowships prepare teachers to deliver STEM-centric, inquiry-based learning that aligns with workforce demands and Ohio Department of Education standards. Key features of the IRC Fellowships include:
Transforming traditional instruction into project-based experiences rooted in Design Thinking
Developing culturally relevant, industry-aligned projects
Ongoing support through workshops and consultations
The Ohio Workforce Development - PAST Foundation Fellowship offers:
Professional development for Ohio educators (grades 7-12)
Pathways including Drone Flight, CompTIA, Adobe, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, and Lean Six Sigma
Continuing Education Units (CEUs), certification, and ongoing support
Flexible options for project-based credentials
Want to learn more about our IRC offerings? Click here to register and to read frequently asked questions.
Career Readiness: Equipping High School Students for Success
Rob Musick, CEO of Embold, emphasizes the critical role of industry-recognized credentials (IRCs) in preparing high school students for future careers: "Industry-recognized credentials (IRCs) have become a critical factor in preparing high school students for future careers. These credentials go beyond traditional academic achievements by equipping students with practical, industry-relevant skills that make them immediately employable." Embold offers three "foundational" credentials:
Leadership Excellence
Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
Musick adds, "At Embold, our goal is to bridge the gap between academic learning and career readiness by equipping students with a blend of professional, technical, and process improvement skills that serve them in any career field they choose."
Video created by PAST Intern Julius Jenkins
Benefits of Industry-Recognized Credentials
Career Readiness: IRCs equip students with industry-relevant skills, boosting employability right after high school.
No/Low-Cost Access: Schools receive state funding for each credential earned, creating financial incentives to support credential programs.
Graduation Support: IRCs contribute to graduation points and fulfill Ohio's Industry-Recognized Credential Seal requirements.
Inclusivity: Credentialing provides equitable opportunities for students, especially those from underserved communities, to access valuable career pathways.
Take a closer look at Ohio’s industry-recognized credential data here.
Lean Six Sigma Collaboration: Green Dot Consulting Group + Madison Health
In a remarkable partnership between industry and education, Green Dot Consulting Group and Madison Health joined forces with the PAST Foundation to provide high school students with an immersive Lean Six Sigma experience. This collaboration not only equipped students with valuable industry-recognized credentials but also tackled real-world healthcare challenges.
A Summer of Learning and Impact
During our summer “Power Up Your Potential” internship, nine Healthcare Pathway interns embarked on an eight-week journey that combined hands-on experience with professional certifications. The students earned Lean Six Sigma White and Yellow Belt credentials while working on a process improvement project at Madison Health's Specialty Care Unit. Their mission: to optimize patient room utilization and improve workflow efficiency.
Allison Wenger, Specialty Care Director at Madison Health, expressed her admiration for the interns' approach: "I was very impressed with the quality of the questions and conversations that I had with the students. They were very thorough and seemed to really want to tackle the challenge to find a solution."
The healthcare pathway interns collaborated with the CAD and additive manufacturing interns who helped them design and 3D-print a model of the hospital floorplan, aiding them in their solution-building and serving as an impressive prop when presenting their solutions to the entire Madison Health leadership team.
Multifaceted Learning Experience
The “Power Up Your Potential” internship program went beyond Lean Six Sigma, offering a comprehensive healthcare industry immersion:
Earned CPR/AED and Bloodborne Pathogens certifications
Networked with healthcare professionals
Opportunities to shadow healthcare professionals and sit in on surgical procedures
Gained insights into various medical careers
Collaborated with CAD interns to create 3D-printed floorplans
This multidisciplinary approach exemplifies the PAST Foundation's commitment to diverse work-based learning opportunities. Their work-based learning programs have already benefited more than 500 students, resulting in more than 800 industry certifications across various STEM fields.
Real-World Problem Solving
The interns tackled a complex space utilization issue that had been challenging Madison Health for two years. Working alongside Lean Six Sigma Black Belt professionals, they applied Lean Six Sigma tools to analyze and identify root causes.
Wenger highlighted the project's scope: "There are currently ten different clinics, with seventeen providers that we need to fit into space on two floors of the hospital. In addition, there are two other clinics that share space with us and those needed to be factored in as well."
Impressive Results and Future Impact
The students' final presentation to Madison Health's leadership team exceeded expectations. Wenger noted, "The group was very impressed with the solutions that the students came up with. We are currently in the process of trying to implement some of the suggestions, including addressing storage issues as well as moving some clinics between the first and second floors to keep similar specialties in the same place."
This success story aligns perfectly with Green Dot Consulting Group's philosophy that "a bad process will beat a good person every time." By improving processes, they aim to create value and bring joy to the workplace.
Mutual Benefits
The collaboration proved beneficial for both the students and Madison Health. Wenger observed, "I heard from the students that the exposure they had to a real-world problem in a healthcare environment was very helpful. They mentioned several times that they hadn't thought about this being an issue that a department director might need to deal with."
For Madison Health, the fresh perspective was invaluable. "For me, it was a great opportunity to get some fresh eyes to give perspective to a problem that I've been working on for years. Sometimes when you are in the middle of something it's hard to take a step back and see it from another angle. The students were able to help me do that," Wenger added.
Looking Ahead
This successful collaboration between Green Dot Consulting Group, Madison Health, and the PAST Foundation demonstrates the power of industry-education partnerships. By providing students with real-world experiences and industry-recognized credentials, these programs are shaping the future workforce while solving current industry challenges.
As Green Dot Consulting Group aptly puts it, "Life is short, you must love what you do, and do what you love. Because in the end, organizations don't change the world. People do." This project is a testament to that philosophy, empowering the next generation of healthcare professionals to make a tangible impact even before entering the workforce.
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