We are thrilled to announce that the Southwest West Central Service Cooperative (SWWC) is hosting a FTC Robotics Qualifier competition right here in Marshall, MN. This is an exciting event that will take place on Saturday, January 13, 2024, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and will be held at the Marshall Middle School.

If you have partnered with LYFT Career Pathways in the past, you know our organization is about sharing resources and programs throughout southwest Minnesota that create clear pathways for our students to pursue after high school. We believe in collaborating with schools, students and employers to meet their needs locally. Recently at the CTE (Career Technical Education) Works! Summit, we learned of free resources being used successfully by our neighbors across the state that we are excited to share.

While attending the Relationships Matter - 4th MNwest CEO Forum and Entrepreneur Summit, students, teachers, and administrators spoke on artificial intelligence (AI) sharing their thoughts and experiences regarding classroom applications. The key takeaway from these sessions was that oftentimes, the conversation around AI in the classroom includes the word “cheating”, and these two should avoid going hand in hand.

Ortonville Area Health Services (OAHS) hosts an Annual Health Careers Camp where students are able to be both on the medical and senior campuses, engage in hands-on activities, and learn the many career path options in health care.

On Wednesday, November 1, 2023, business and technology professionals came from across the state to attend the 4th MNWest CEO Forum and Entrepreneur Summit focused on “Relationships Matter” in Moorhead, Minnesota. The event focused on showcasing next-gen AI applications, future-forward business strategies, groundbreaking VP experiences and over 20 regional companies.

By Deb Gau, Marshall Independent

MARSHALL — A group of area businesspeople and educators say they want to try a new approach in growing the next generation of entrepreneurs in southwest Minnesota. The plan includes founding a year-long educational program that connects high school students with local businesses, and gets students started on developing their own business plans.

By Per Peterson, Tracy Headlight Herald, February 2019

More than a dozen high school students from the Tracy, Marshall, Slayton and Westbrook-Walnut Grove school districts found themselves in a science room at Tracy Area High School on Saturday, but they weren’t learning about the Periodic Table or the structure of a cell.

By Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council

The Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council, in partnership with the Southwest West Central Cooperative, Minnesota West Community and Technical College and the Minnesota River Valley Education District, provided 14 students the opportunity to participate in an Introduction to Manufacturing and Engineering course during the spring semester. These students were able to job shadow at local manufacturing companies and practice the skills they learned through the class. Two young men were able to job shadow staff at Granite Falls Energy (GFE) in Granite Falls.

By Jen Burris, Pipestone County Star, April 2018

Twenty students have been selected for the Southwest Minnesota Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO) program for the 2018-19 school year. Seven of the selected students attend school in Pipestone County: three from Pipestone Area Schools (PAS), three from Edgerton Public and one from Southwest Christian.

Creating a Pathway for a Stronger Workforce and Community
by Michelle Noreiga, Assistant Principal, Marshall Public Schools

As assistant principal of a school using an adult/high school student career pathway model (with both adults and high school students learning together), I have seen benefits to both groups and the collaborative partners.

Minnesota West Community and Technical College, in conjunction with the SWWC Service Cooperative and the Future/Pathways to Prosperity United Way grant, is currently offering several pathways of educational learning and hands on exploration to area high school students in high demand career path areas.

By Jordan Hulscher, Daktronics Company News

Figuring out what you want to do and where you want to go after high school graduation can be a daunting task. A program Daktronics Redwood Falls put together aims to help students with that decision by giving them the chance to explore various career options without looking too far.

By Jenny Kirk, Marshall Independent, May 2017

GRANITE FALLS — Yellow Medicine East junior Haley Brovold had the opportunity to job shadow a critical care nurse as part of a pilot medical careers class that was held at Minnesota West Community and Technical College in Granite Falls.

By Jenny Kirk, Marshall Independent

GRANITE FALLS — Courtesy of various partnerships, a unique medical careers program was recently offered to high school students around the Granite Falls area.