LAB Midwest and GPS Education Partners Team Up to Benefit Students and Workers
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Mequon, WI – LAB Midwest has officially announced a partnership with GPS Education Partners, a non-profit organization whose mission is to facilitate partnerships between education, industry and communities to expand the utilization of work-based learning experiences, such as Youth Apprenticeship.

This unique partnership will strengthen the opportunities available to high school students exploring career pathways, from authentic industrial experiences in the classroom to work-based learning with industrial partners. Additionally, collaborative efforts between LAB Midwest and GPS will provide industrial employers with the training resources they need to upskill or reskill incumbent workers in an environment of rapidly-changing Industry 4.0 technologies.

LAB Midwest and GPSEd recognize that the skilled labor shortage can be reduced by aligning employers’ requirements with hands-on learning opportunities, both for students and incumbent employees. A collaborative model that connects the needs and resources of education and industry will strengthen the talent pipeline and reinforce a burgeoning manufacturing economy.

The outcome will be a specialized integration of the curriculum, eLearning and skills training solutions offered by LAB Midwest into GPSEd’s work-based learning programs under an economic model that provides benefits to all parties, including educators, students, learners and industrial employers alike.

Stephanie Borowski, President and CEO of GPS Education Partners, remarked, “This partnership is a unique opportunity for GPSEd and LAB Midwest to combine almost 70 years of experience in exposing students of all ages to technical careers through hands-on, project and curriculum-based learning. It is our goal to put the great minds of our companies together to continue creating access and opportunities to quality work-based learning experiences that close the gap between Education and Business.”

Wisconsin has proven itself to be an innovator in industrial technology and STEM/CTE education, especially in recent years. LAB Midwest has given countless students the chance to learn industry-relevant skills and earn certifications in the classroom as they begin to pursue a career. Renee Kirchner, CEO of LAB Midwest, commented, “A key component to our work is collaborating with organizations who share our mission. GPSEd’s dedication to provide work-based learning for students and desire to see the same world-class training opportunities available to incumbent employees make them a perfect partner. We aim to promote this model across the Midwest and the entire US.”

About GPS Education Partners

GPS Education Partners teams up with LAB MidwestGPS Education Partners is a WI-based 501c-3 nonprofit whose mission is to facilitate partnerships between Education, Industry, and Communities to expand the utilization of Work-based Learning experiences, such as Youth Apprenticeship, to improve student career outcomes, promote talent development pipelines, and influence systematic social impact.

GPS Education Partners is the only manufacturing-specific, statewide Department of Workforce Development Youth Apprenticeship Program in Wisconsin. Our community-based education model can help accelerate student preparation in technical careers through powerful, credentialed work-based learning solutions.

To learn more about GPS Education Partners, visit their website. Read their press release here.

About LAB Midwest

At LAB Midwest, our mission is to secure the American Dream for the next generation of manufacturing talent. We accomplish this by providing educators and employers with the curriculum, learning systems, training equipment and certifications to prepare their students and workers for successful career pathways.

While great work is being done in education to train students for successful employment, LAB Midwest recognizes the disparity between on-the-job training available to employees five decades ago versus today. Part of our mission is to engage with manufacturers to increase the quality and quantity of employee training.

The process begins with an assessment of the training needs unique to your organization. We then collaborate to implement the training equipment and curriculum to ensure worker success. Outcomes include onboarding new employees regardless of beginning skill level, maintaining incumbent employee skills backed by subject-area knowledge, and upskilling employees in new competencies so they have the potential to move upward within the company. Successful deployment of a training program will ensure the company stays relevant as Industry 4.0 technologies continue to evolve.

To learn more about LAB Midwest, visit our website.

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