Industrial Integration Academy

Decatur County Community School Corporation (DCCS) is proud to announce the creation of a new
program to its academic offerings, the Industrial Integration Academy.
The Industrial Integration Academy (IIA) is a new course of study designed to give students real-world
experience and knowledge of local manufacturing career opportunities. Students will have the chance to
work and earn a paycheck in their senior year of high school as well as the potential to earn dual credit
and industry-recognized certifications. This path will also allow students the ability to apply for
permanent employment after graduation, plus gain the background knowledge and experience
necessary for success.
“The goal of the program is to connect industry and education and give students more avenues to
achieve success as young adults,” said Angel Hocker, Director of Learning for DCCS. “By creating
awareness, exposure and hands-on experiences, DCCS schools will equip students with informed career
opportunities.”
The Academy is a partnership between local industry, Decatur County Schools and community
stakeholders. It will be available to North and South Decatur High School juniors beginning in the 2023-
24 school year. Students will spend one class period a week immersed with a specific, local
manufacturer learning about safety, culture, and what career opportunities look like at that facility while
taking manufacturing courses in the schools to prepare for the workplace. During the student’s senior
year, the student will spend several class periods a week earning a paycheck from the manufacturers,
with the potential to be hired full time after graduation.
To ensure well-rounded exposure to various operations and skillsets, students will rotate through
multiple manufacturers throughout the school year. Participating manufacturers include Nipro
PharmaPackaging in Westport; Batesville Tool & Die out of neighboring Ripley County; and Honda
Indiana Auto Plant, and Delta Faucet Company in Greensburg. Ivy Tech Community College is a postsecondary collaborator.
Lisa Deck, Purdue’s Indiana Manufacturing Competitiveness Center (IN-MaC) Program Manager,
Education Workforce, was contracted by DCCS to lead the charge for this new academy. Deck has
experience developing similar programs in other school corporations throughout the state.
“The academy model is a win-win,” explained Deck. “For the manufacturers, we are building a pipeline
of future employees to help offset worker shortages. For the students, they are exploring local career
opportunities, improving their professional skills, learning some independence and getting their foot in
the door for a potential future career. Students will ultimately have the foundational skills to be
successful in multiple careers in manufacturing.”
For DCCS School Superintendent Jarrod Burns, the driving force behind the academy is simple: to fill an
educational void for those students who are hands-on, project-based learners.
“All students can learn. It is our responsibility to make sure each and every student reaches their
potential so they will be successful in life after high school,” said Burns.
Enrollment for the fall Industrial Integration Academy will begin soon. Sophomores in the county school
system who are interested in the ’23-’24 academy are encouraged to contact their school counselors for
more information.
The committee thanks Steele Digital Marketing for their help with the logo design.
About IN-MaC
IN-MaC provides programs and services to enhance the talents and capabilities of Indiana’s present and
future workforce by facilitating connections between educators and industry to catalyze the formation
of near-term and long-term skills in a highly accessible manner across Indiana. IN-MaC supports a variety
of STEM-type, skilled trades, degree (associates and undergraduate) and certificate programs. IN-MaC
leverages its resources, networks and partnerships with industry, local communities, educators and
interested stakeholders to provide a variety of formal courses and informal activities that embolden
pathways to meet the talent needs of the present and future manufacturing workforce

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