Workforce Development

Training our students in the skills needed by our local employers is a major focus of Ignite College and Career Academy. From the 2018 Ignite Employer Needs Assessment through the inception and development of the CCA, the need to prepare students for future job opportunities has been foremost.

Local industry leaders serve on Ignite’s Board of Directors and ensure area business needs drive Ignite’s curriculum development. Our business partners have also committed cash, equipment, and volunteer training opportunities to Ignite.

Ignite’s initial 135 needs assessment respondents identified 87 specific “major jobs” that they expect Ignite to help them fill with trained workers. Ignite’s needs data is so precise that planners know how many workers are needed (by job title and employment sector) within five years.

Because we know the number of jobs to fill in the next five years is greater than the number of students who will graduate from Sumter County High School in the same period, we know that every student who attends Ignite should have a job waiting upon completing his or her Individual Graduation Plan. Ignite is therefore assured of having a positive impact on the regional workforce.

Partner with Ignite

Ignite College and Career Academy had 135 business partners who completed the needs assessment and 102 business partners who signed Letters of Commitment to support the CCA. Many of our businesses work with Ignite to provide job shadowing experiences, internships, and apprenticeships. Ignite also has 31 partners who are providing teacher externships.

If you are a business, contact our CEO, Josh Drew for more information about how we can help train your workforce and involve you as an Ignite partner.