GPS Education Partners

Our Always Learning, Always Evolving organizational value was on display at our recent Ed Center staff training days.

We're debuting the MecLab training system from Festo across our Education Centers, giving students hands-on experience with the technology that keeps modern manufacturing running. Through project-based work, students will explore how automation systems work, build and simulate models of industrial processes, and get into programming and digital control.

Students will also have the chance to earn an additional credential, one more way to show employers their technical knowledge.

Huge shout out to our staff for diving in and continually striving to learn more in service of our students. Stay tuned, students will be exploring these models next!

At GPS Ed, Partnership with Purpose isn't just a value we reference, it's one we live out every day in our Education Center program.

Business partners are essential to that work, helping build both student success and a skilled workforce in our communities. That's why every youth apprentice on the shop floor has a dedicated team of GPS Ed staff behind them, working to make sure both the student and their mentors succeed.

Our team is the first call for any concern, visits in person every month to track progress, and sits down twice a year for a full work review to set new goals. We also handle the paperwork and compliance that comes with hosting a student.

Students carry real responsibility too. They're accountable for their attendance, professionalism, and on-the-job skill building.

That mix, steady support paired with clear accountability, is what turns a placement into a launchpad. Students leave with experience and businesses gain a pipeline of talent they helped shape from day one.

Today TMJ4 News stopped by our Lakeside Education Center in West Milwaukee to see work-based learning up close.

They spent time with GPS Ed staff, alumni, and a current student to see what our program looks like in action: students building real skills, earning real credentials, and stepping into careers while strengthening Wisconsin's workforce.

Take a look at the full story here: https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/in-your-community/milwaukee-county/how-one-wisconsin-program-turns-high-school-students-into-the-skilled-workers-businesses-need

Thank you to TMJ4 for highlighting GPS Ed, and to our staff and partners who help Make School Work™ for students every day.

Great day connecting with our community!

Yesterday, Andrew and Karen were out at the West Bend Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Golf Tournament, where GPS Ed hosted a Tee Box.

It was a fun chance to connect with fellow Chamber members and community leaders, and share how GPS Ed works with local businesses in the skilled trades to help students find real opportunities close to home.

Thanks to the West Bend Area Chamber of Commerce for a great event, and to everyone who stopped by to say hello!

Interested in partnering with GPS Ed? Get in touch with us here: https://gpsed.org/contact/

In our Education Center Program, learning extends beyond math and English.

Alongside core academics, students build financial literacy skills that help them make informed financial decisions long before they walk across the graduation stage.

Our financial literacy lessons cover practical topics like budgeting, understanding banks and credit unions, using credit responsibly, and setting savings goals.

By graduation, students leave with more than a diploma. They have a personalized financial plan and the knowledge to make informed financial decisions as they transition into adulthood.

We recently loved seeing our employer partner, Conger Industries spotlight GPS Ed Class of 2026 graduate Nate Van Ooyen—and we wanted to celebrate him, too!

After graduation, Nate continues his employment with Conger as a Forklift and Shop Technician, building on the experience and skills he developed through our Education Center and Youth Apprenticeship program.

Nate was selected as this year's Dawn Tabat Award recipient, an honor recognizing students who exemplifies a growth mindset and exceptional improvement.

His teacher shared:

"He has shown a kind of independence that I have not seen in very many students, by taking accountability for his academics and completing his work outside of the classroom when it was necessary, without any intervention or reminders from me."

We're incredibly proud of Nate and grateful to Conger for creating opportunities that help students transition from the classroom to meaningful careers.

Congratulations, Nate! We can't wait to see what you accomplish next.

While the school year may end, the Education Center Program's commitment to student growth does not.

At GPS Ed, the Education Center and Youth Apprenticeship program is intentionally designed as a year-round experience. During the summer, students' work-based learning hours increase with their employer partners, while they continue to spend one day a week engaged in program activities with their classmates.

That time allows them to:

• Catch up on academic competencies or work ahead toward graduation.
• Continue building professional and durable workplace skills.
• Strengthen relationships through team-building activities and class outings.
• Give back through volunteer and service-learning projects.
• Stay connected to the instructors, Work-Based Learning Coordinators, and classmates who support their success.

Summer isn't simply about staying busy. Students continue to develop confidence, skills, and a sense of belonging through ongoing academic, professional, and social engagement.

As one chapter closes, another is already underway.

This spring, more than 1,200 family members, educators, employer partners, and community supporters came together across five end-of-year celebrations to recognize the accomplishments of 125 Ed Center graduates.

Their next steps are already taking shape:

• 96% are working, attending post-secondary full-time, or doing both.
• 65% are continuing their careers with their current business partners.

One graduate captured that journey best:

"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. I didn't fully know what that quote meant—but through my GPS Ed experience, I started discovering what that future could look like for me."

Those words and outcomes reflect what we strive to cultivate every day through our 4As Framework—Authenticity, Aspiration, Abilities, and Agency. By connecting classroom learning with meaningful work experiences, students gain more than technical skills; they build the confidence and direction to navigate what's next.

While we celebrate the Class of 2026, our current juniors continue building their skills over the summer, strengthening employer partnerships, and preparing for their own futures. And this fall, we'll welcome a new class of students ready to begin that same journey.

The work continues, and so does the opportunity to help every student discover a path to a thriving future.