GPS Education Partners

If a work-based learning effort only stays afloat because a few people keep stepping in to fix, cover, and carry everything, that is not real capacity.

It is commitment. And commitment matters. But strong programs need more than good people doing extra work.

They need clearer roles, stronger systems, and practices that can hold over time.

That is one of the practical ideas behind Make School Work™.

Planning a summer read for your team? Bulk orders can help start the conversation.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4f7PeVI

Every graduate has a unique story, but they share something powerful in common: they discovered what becomes possible when learning is connected to purpose.

Last week, we celebrated the graduates of the Education Center and Youth Apprenticeship Program from five Education Centers across the Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha regions.

Along the way, these students developed workplace skills, built confidence, formed meaningful connections with mentors, and gained valuable experience through work-based learning.

We are proud of all they accomplished and grateful to the families, educators, employer partners, and mentors who helped support them throughout their journey.

See more highlights from our Class of 2026: https://lnkd.in/gNhvHgm3

Employer interest is important. Employer readiness is what makes work-based learning possible.

When employers are prepared, students are more likely to have meaningful experiences, and programs are more likely to last.

Our latest blog post explores what readiness really looks like and why it matters.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4uxlTZv

Work-based learning does not have to begin with a big launch.

Sometimes the best first step is also the smallest one: a single role, a trusted mentor, and a clear opportunity for a student to learn in a real setting.

What matters most at the start is not scale. It is whether you are creating something useful, intentional, and worth building on.

That is one of the practical ideas behind Make School Work™.

Planning a summer read for your team? Bulk orders are available here: https://bit.ly/3Rzq8Fr

Some of the most important learning happens when students can see a future for themselves beyond the classroom.

At the Beaver Dam and Hartford Ed Centers, students in the Education Center and Youth Apprenticeship Program built real-world skills through work-based learning, mentorship, and hands-on experiences.

At this year’s graduation ceremony, we celebrated students who gained confidence, developed professional skills, and discovered new possibilities for their future.

Thank you to the educators, employer partners, families, and community partners who continue helping students grow and succeed.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026!

We’re excited to see Alexandra Levit featured on Working on Purpose, talking about one of the central ideas behind Make School Work™:

Young people need more than a default path. They need better information, real experiences, and meaningful choices earlier.

In the conversation, Alex explores the gap between available jobs and workforce readiness, why work-based learning offers a more practical bridge between education and earning, and why students benefit when they can test possibilities before the stakes get higher.

Thank you to Dr. Elise Cortez and Working on Purpose for the thoughtful conversation.

Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Q6ZZgN

Degrees Aren’t Enough: Why Graduates Still Aren’t Job-Ready (Working on Purpose) Today’s graduates are doing everything “right”—earning degrees, bui...

One of the most practical takeaways from this conversation: high-quality work-based learning is not just about preparing students for employers. It is also about preparing employers for students.

That insight came through clearly as Stephanie Reisner and Steph Loeck joined Tom Vander Ark and Getting Smart to talk about Make School Work™ and what it really takes to build work-based learning that lasts.

They also explore a point we do not talk about enough: success is not only whether a student stays on one path, but whether an experience helps them make meaning, build confidence, and get clearer about what comes next.

Thank you to Getting Smart and Tom Vander Ark for a thoughtful conversation.

Listen here: https://bit.ly/3PBxJ5B

Stephanie Reisner and Steph Loeck on Make School Work and GPS Education Partners How work-based learning and youth apprenticeship help students build skills, agency, and career pathways through employer partnerships.

The GPS Education Partners Fox Cities Class of 2026 has a lot to celebrate.

From the classroom to hands-on workplace experiences, these graduates have built skills, confidence, and a clearer sense of what comes next. We are proud of the commitment they have shown and excited for all that lies ahead.

“GPS Ed helped me gain skills, confidence, and a clearer idea of my future. I’m grateful for the opportunities and the people who supported me along the way.”
–Javon

Thank you to the families, partners, educators, and staff who helped make this journey possible.

Meet the Class of 2026: https://bit.ly/4dwbGXv

A program is not scalable when committed people have to keep saving it.

When work-based learning depends on memory, workarounds, and a few trusted people doing a little extra every day, growth gets fragile fast.

Real capacity comes from clearer structure, stronger coordination, and practices that others can actually carry forward.

That is the kind of practical shift Make School Work™ supports.

Thinking about a team summer read? Bulk orders are a simple way to bring these ideas into your planning now.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/48Rmrkh

How do we build the next generation of talent—and why does it matter?
Join us on Thursday, June 18, for an Executive Panel + Reception hosted by GPS Education Partners, featuring practical conversation and real-world examples on talent strategy, work-based learning, and workforce readiness.

We’re excited to bring together:
Dale Kooyenga, Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce
Nathan Butt, Quad
Dr. Phyllis King, Waukesha County Technical College
Rhonda Matschke, Generac
Stephanie Reisner, GPS Education Partners

Moderated by Stephanie Loeck, VP of Strategic Development at GPS Education Partners and co-author of Make School Work™.

Attendees will also receive a signed copy of Make School Work™.

Special thanks to our sponsor, BMO, for helping bring industry leaders together around the future of talent.

Get more information and register here: https://bit.ly/4dFQ0qL