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What is LYFT?
Launch Your Future Today (LYFT) is a rural CTE pathway initiative to rebuild career and technical education (CTE) in southwest and west central MN, funded through a state-wide $3 million Rural CTE Consortium Grant passed by the Minnesota Legislature.
LYFT funding is available to high schools (and their partners) to develop shared CTE courses and programs ... with the goal that every secondary student in the region gains marketable skills through meaningful CTE courses and opportunities that lead to further education and careers that match our region's labor market needs.
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News & Events
Latest News
At LYFT Career Pathways, we believe that students in southwest and west central Minnesota deserve opportunities to explore their futures in meaningful, hands-on ways. That’s why we’re excited to highlight an incredible resource available to schools and communities: the Career Exploration Kits from the SWWC Service Cooperative.
These career exploration kits are designed to help students gain practical, hands-on experience in more than 40 different career fields, ranging from welding, agriculture, and health care to accounting, childcare, and the trades. Each kit contains the tools, materials, and activities needed to give students a taste of real-world tasks. It’s about turning curiosity into confidence and helping students envision where their skills and interests could take them.
On Wednesday, May 7, 2025, nearly 200 eighth-grade students from Redwood County participated in the annual Career Institute: Technology & Trades on the Prairie (TTOP), held at the Redwood Area Community Center. This highly engaging, hands-on event brought together employers, educators, and community partners, including LYFT Career Pathways, to offer students an unforgettable introduction to technology and trades career exploration in southwest Minnesota.
The 4th Annual Student Entrepreneurship Conference, hosted at Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU), provided an engaging platform for aspiring young business leaders to connect, learn, and grow. This event, supported by LYFT Career Pathways and key regional partners, brought together student entrepreneurs from five Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO) programs: Lyon/Murray, Cottonwood/Jackson, Southwest, Minnesota River Valley and West Central.
On January 16, 2025, educators, industry professionals, and students gathered at the Tatonka II & III Rooms in Jackpot Junction, Morton, MN, for the LYFT’n Up Career ConneCTEd Excellence in SW/WC Minnesota Conference. This day-long event, organized by SWWC Service Cooperative, was a celebration of collaboration, innovation, and dedication to empowering the next generation through meaningful career pathways.
The 2024 Southwest Minnesota Career Expo took place on September 24th and 25th at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall and Minnesota West-Worthington. This year’s event welcomed 124 employers and educational programs, giving high school students valuable insights into career paths and educational opportunities while showcasing the types of jobs offered by local businesses.
As labor force demand increases, more attention is being given to our high school graduates – where are they going and how do we keep more of them in our rural regions now that we have a plethora of opportunities available. This report tracks high school graduates in Southwest Minnesota from 2008 through 2019, examining what sorts of education and career paths they have traveled. By identifying the types of high school experiences they had, we can better understand what strategies to focus on that might keep more young people in the region.
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Featured Projects
Learn more about some of the projects funded by LYFT Career Pathways by clicking the images.
![Students with instructor]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1704922581/lyftpathwaysorg/o9i2ervogrmfxknrxw8y/MallofAmerica2featured.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1704922581/lyftpathwaysorg/o9i2ervogrmfxknrxw8y/MallofAmerica2featured.jpg","width":512}])
A partnership between Redwood Valley High School, Minnesota West Community and Technical College, and Redwood Falls Police Department has received a $15,000 LYFT Pathways Innovation award to develop an intro level course with hands-on opportunities for students.
![Students working at the Tiger Cafe]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1704922329/lyftpathwaysorg/xquulnxvbtziq1cbfidz/tigercafessfeatured.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1704922329/lyftpathwaysorg/xquulnxvbtziq1cbfidz/tigercafessfeatured.png","width":486}])
A partnership between the Marshall High School and Mainstay Coffee has received a $14,879 LYFT Pathways Innovation award that will provide pre-employment skills to their students to help prepare them for independent employment and career opportunities after high school.
![Welding Class]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1702914791/lyftpathwaysorg/ffll5i6hbjseefhiybq3/Welding.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1702914791/lyftpathwaysorg/ffll5i6hbjseefhiybq3/Welding.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1702914791/lyftpathwaysorg/ffll5i6hbjseefhiybq3/Welding.jpg","width":800}])
A partnership between the Adrian High School, Joens Woodworking, Veld Lumber, and Kruse Welding has received a $15,000.
![Career Connectors]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1702915698/lyftpathwaysorg/hhj0vkv5qkzwx3m2ngh9/CareerConnector.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1702915698/lyftpathwaysorg/hhj0vkv5qkzwx3m2ngh9/CareerConnector.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1702915698/lyftpathwaysorg/hhj0vkv5qkzwx3m2ngh9/CareerConnector.jpg","width":799}])
A partnership between Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council (PIC), several school districts and employers from Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Lyon, Redwood, and Yellow Medicine counties.
![Career Navigator - Somali Youth Engagement]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1702916044/lyftpathwaysorg/zsetjexmkuvunmqs1egq/CareerNavigatorSomali.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1702916044/lyftpathwaysorg/zsetjexmkuvunmqs1egq/CareerNavigatorSomali.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1702916044/lyftpathwaysorg/zsetjexmkuvunmqs1egq/CareerNavigatorSomali.jpg","width":800}])
A partnership between Central Minnesota Jobs and Training Services (CMJTS), Willmar Public Schools, Community Inclusion Center (CIC), and several local employers.