A decade-long effort to connect students in Greater Lafayette to
real-world careers will receive a significant boost following the award of $1.2 million in state
funding aimed at expanding career coaching and navigation services across the region.
The Region 4 Workforce Board has been awarded the funds through the Indiana Department
of Education’s Career Coaching Grant, which supports local strategies that help students
make informed decisions about education, training and employment after high school. In
Greater Lafayette, the grant will be used to continue and expand Career+ Pathways, a locally
developed career-connected learning ecosystem led by Greater Lafayette Commerce.
“The Workforce Board is excited to be working with our partners to bring career coaching
services to our schools, students and employers throughout the region,” said Mellisa
Leaming, president and CEO of the Region 4 Workforce Board, also known as Tecumseh Area
Partnership. “This project will assist with meeting the new graduation pathways as well as
directly connecting youth to local employers and opportunities in their community.”
Grant recipients were chosen for their ability to offer career coaching that students don’t
currently have access to and for showing measurable results for schools and students.
The Career Coaching Grant was established following the passage of Senate Enrolled Act 365
during the 2025 legislative session, which directed the Indiana Department of Education to
distribute $15 million statewide. Amid a tighter-than-usual budget year, the program drew
significant interest, with applications increasing 37% compared to the previous round and
more than $45 million requested.
“Our primary purpose in K–12 education is to ensure every student graduates prepared for
what’s next,” said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. “This includes ensuring
students have the knowledge and skills necessary for future success, and also helping
students see the range of possibilities that exist for their future. This year’s Career Coaching
Grant has been strategically deployed to maximize impact by increasing access to
consistent, individualized career coaching.”
Career+ Pathways gives students early exposure to careers, access to work-based learning
and opportunities to earn credentials tied directly to local workforce needs. The initiative
brings together K–12 schools, higher education institutions, employers and workforce
partners to help students understand what jobs exist in their community and how to prepare
for them.
The program has grown steadily over the past five years, attracting nearly $10 million in grant
funding and expanding to serve 12 counties and 12 school corporations. Tens of thousands of
students now participate annually in career-connected experiences. During the 2024–25
school year alone, more than 4,000 students earned microcredentials, 61,500 career-connected experiences were logged and students completed more than 7,000 hours of work based learning.
The funding will allow Career+ Pathways to expand career coaching, strengthen coordination
between schools and employers and continue integrating work-based learning into the
student experience, work that closely aligns with Indiana’s new Graduation Pathways
diploma requirements. Beginning with the Class of 2029, the policy replaces traditional
diploma tracks with a single credential built around “readiness seals” tied to real-world
experience and employability skills.
“We built the Career+ Pathways program to be more than technology,” says Eric Davis, CEO
of Career+ Pathways by Skyepack. “It’s a comprehensive career coaching and navigation
system that aligns schools, employers, higher education and the military — helping students
move seamlessly from exploration and discovery to credentials and real-world work-based
learning.” Career+ Pathways serves the following counties: Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Fountain,
Howard, Miami, Montgomery, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Warren and White.
“This work is about helping kids see what’s possible without having to leave the place they
call home,” said Kara Webb, workforce development director at Greater Lafayette Commerce
and a member of the Region 4 Workforce Board’s board of directors. “Career+ started
because employers were struggling to find the people with the right skills and students were
struggling to see a path forward. This grant helps us keep bringing those two realities together
earlier.”
As the grant recipient and fiscal agent, the Region 4 Workforce Board will oversee
implementation and coordination of services across the expanded region. The board provides
workforce development planning, policy guidance and program oversight, working in
partnership with educators, employers and community stakeholders.
Career+ Pathways is supported by a coalition of regional partners working together to
connect education and the workforce, including Skyepack, a West Lafayette–based
education and workforce company supporting education-to-career ecosytems and the
Wabash Valley Education Center, which supports professional development for K–12
educators.
The coalition is led by Greater Lafayette Commerce, the region’s chamber of commerce and
lead economic development organization, which supports workforce initiatives that
strengthen the talent pipeline and align education with regional economic needs.