Career & Technical Education

Advisory Committee Meeting

October 16, 2025

PRESENTATION

2860 291st Ave, Madison, MN 56256

9:00 – 9:05 Welcome and Introductions

9:05 –9:45 Learning from the Field - Lac qui Parle Valley

9:45 – 10:30 LYFT & MSC Updates

10:30 - 11:00 LYFT Priorities: Actions

11:00 – 11:45 Outreach and Engagement

11:45 –12:00 Partner Updates & Reflections

12:00 Lunch/Optional Networking

Key Objectives…

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LYFT Pathways Advisory Agenda/Objectives

• Learning from the Field & Regional/State Updates
• Affirming specific actions/roles toward reaching desired outcomes
• Helping frame the LYFT Annual Meeting- January 15^th, 2026

� Career Navigators, Central Minnesota Jobs and Training Services (CMJTS) & Career Connectors, SW MN Private Industry Council

Learning From the Field

Your Insights…

• What are the takeaways that can be replicated across LYFT partnerships?
• How might projects like these be sustained into the future?
• Who are the local champions?

UPDATES

UPDATES

Welcome & Intros: LYFT Pathways Advisory Committee

Ally Carlson Redwood Valley Area High School

Andrea Moore Hutchinson High School

Briana Mumme Southwest Initiative Foundation

Bridget Paulson Central MN Jobs & Training

Bridget Borer Nobles County Integration Collaborative

Bruce Bergeson MN River Valley CTE Collaborative

Carrie Bendix SW MN Private Industry Council

Cheryl Glaeser Achieve Consulting

Christine Fischer Small Business Development Center

Craig Peters MN West Community Technical College

Dawn Hegland Upper MN Valley RDC

Diana Ristamaki Central Minnesota Jobs and Training

Doug Jans SWWC

Eriann Faris SWWC

Eric Day Mid MN Development Commission

Gail Polejewski MN West Carl Perkins Secondary Coordinator

James Miller Willmar Area Chamber of Commerce

Jay Trusty SW Regional Development Commission

Kathryn Les U of MN Extension

Kelley McClure-Mork Ridgewater College

Lisa Graphenteen Development Services, Inc./Meeker County EDA `

Luke Greiner MN Dept of Employment and Economic Development

Maria Peters SW MN Private Industry Council

Mark Matuska Jackson County Central Schools

Matthew Feuerborn Ridgewater College

Rick Jorgenson Redwood Valley Area High School

Scott Marquardt Southwest Initiative Foundation

See Moua-Leske SW MN Adult Basic Education

LYFT Career Pathways IMPACT GRANTS

$91,250 Available in SFY26 & SFY27

1 Awarded- Benson Nursing Assistant Course- $17,000

3-4 Proposals Received (Lakeview, YME, and MCC (2)- Requesting $67,726.20

2 Letters of Intent from Minneota are currently under review- Request Amount Unknown

LYFT 3E’s Roadmap

https://3es.lyftpathways.org/

Youth Career Connectors/Navigators

School Year 25-26

• Celebrations
• Challenges
• Goals

October is Manufacturing Month

FutureForward™

Child Development Associate Pilot Project

FY 25-26 Priorities

Moving from Insight to Implementation

Where We Are: Shared Priorities and Progress

Review of 2025-26 Focus Areas

• Career-Connected Learning/Work-Based Learning

• Impact Grants

• Teacher Prep & Support

• Employer Engagement�

Highlights from July Discussion:

• Strong endorsement of priorities/affirmed direction
• Clear need to scale Career Navigator roles and establish consistent school liaisons
• Desire to connect classroom learning with real-world experiences through youth apprenticeship, internships, and SEL skill-building
• Emphasis on public awareness and outreach to strengthen community and employer engagement

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What We Heard: Barriers and Leverage Points

Challenges Identified�

• Limited instructors with credentials for advanced CTE/WBL programs
• Employer hesitation and lack of intermediaries to help them with engagement and apprenticeship models
• Scheduling barriers and competing student priorities
• Funding constraints with reduced regional funding
• Fragmented communication across districts, workforce, and industry

Opportunities Ahead�

• Build regional consistency through Career Navigator and liaison models
• Strengthen earn-and-learn pathways and expand youth apprenticeship pilots focused on high-demand fields
• Align LYFT efforts with Perkins, WIOA, FutureForward™, and CTE Induction initiatives
• Develop a funding strategy with public/private cost-share models
• Increase visibility and advocacy through storytelling and outreach

What We Heard: Action Steps

What action steps should we take in the next 3 to 6 months?

• Outreach to schools about career navigator services, LYFT grants, need for career path guides�
• Determine key audiences, messages, engagement for annual meeting�
• Identify financial resources to assist schools & communities with career navigators and other projects

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What actions will take us to where we want to be?

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Diving Deeper:

Outreach & Engagement

• What are the key insights we should gather from employers/educators/community leaders/legislators?�(i.e. questions to explore/discussions to facilitate)�
• What are the key messages we want them to hear?�
• What examples of successful models might we share with them?

Outreach & Engagement: LYFT Annual Meeting

Besides the annual meeting, what other opportunities might we create or embrace to expand LYFT outreach and engagement?

Outreach & Engagement: Other Opportunities

Partner Updates & Reflections

Up Next…

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LYFT Annual Meeting

Thursday, January 15, 2025

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THANK YOU!�LEARN MORE about LYFT Career Pathways or CONTACT US:�� �

www.lyftpathways.org

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@LYFTPathways

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@LYFTPathways

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(507) 537-2271

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lyft@swwc.org