Kankakee Area Career Center

If there’s one thing we know at KACC – we don’t ever know everything!  This year, KACC teamed up with Kankakee Community College and Dr. Kris Condon to learn something new.  With the assistance of Dr. Condon, KACC Faculty earned Workplace Excellence Instructor Certification.

Workplace Excellence, WPE for short, has been embedded into every course offering at KACC.

The WPE Series is a flexible curriculum comprised of ten modules.  Each module is designed to help our students understand and be able to deliver what an employer really needs in today’s workforce.  Each module teaches the employer’s perspective, practical skills and the “bottom line” on a key topic so participants can increase the company’s and their career success.  Modules can be used as stand-alone topics or within a series. 

KACC has chosen to provide five of the ten modules each year.  Students who attend KACC their junior and senior year of high school will benefit by earning all ten badges within the series. 

The WPE Series is designed for the benefit of:

• Corporations & Small Businesses who want to increase performance and return on investment for new and veteran employees.
• Workforce Development Agencies wanting their clients to not only land jobs faster, but also stay longer and succeed sooner.
• Youth Employment Service Providers wanting to prepare youth for success in the workplace.
• Education and Training Institutions wanting their students to be more employable, more motivated and more successful. 

Career Center students have been working to earn electronic badges this school year.  These badges can be added to their electronic portfolios in addition to uploading to their LinkedIn and Twitter profiles. The five modules offered this year were:  Writeability, Communicationability, Suitability, Dependability and Presentability.

Tim Guerin, Principal of the Kankakee Area Career Center stated he is “Delighted to see both faculty and students embrace this new program.  I’m also becoming more aware of the local businesses who are recognizing the value of WPE, even to the point of bringing it to their company as a part of their continued professional development.”

What do students think?  Well, here are a few quotes from some of our students who have earned badges this year:

“Workplace Excellence has taught me the skills I need for proper workplace success.  Communication with others and development of writing techniques has had a meaningful impact, benefiting my readers.”  Jersse T. Page, Law Enforcement II Student, St. Anne Community High School

“I’m so thankful I was given the opportunity to do Workplace Excellence in the classroom.  It is helping me to learn valuable skills to have in the workplace. These skills will stick with you forever.” Faith Hann, Cosmetology I Student, Donovan High School

“The Workforce Excellence training at the Career Center has prepared me and the students of the Career Center with great skills for our future jobs.” Megan Parting, Certified Nurse Assisting Student, Herscher High School

“Workplace Excellence training is something I greatly appreciate doing as it really gives me an idea for the future.  It’s really all-around helpful and I’d recommend others take advantage of this opportunity. Dakota Hamende, Law Enforcement Student from Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School

“Workplace Excellence allows student to become more well-rounded individuals and better adequate for the career they pursue.  It gives its participants good skills, mindsets, behaviors, and professional traits that can prove beneficial in the workforce. Josh Granger, Welding Technology Student from Bishop McNamara High School

“Workplace Excellence training provided information and insight that not all students knew about.  It was a great opportunity to acquire skills needed and expected in the workplace.”  Daryon Fioretti, Certified Nurse Assistant Training Program, Crete-Monee High School

“The best part of Workplace Excellence was mostly how throughout all the modules, everyone had to come together and work as a team.  Also, the skills that were taughted helped give me a better understanding of what the workplaces look for in employees.” Alyssa Howard, Medical Terminology Student from Crete-Monee High School

Any questions about Workplace Excellence  Series or KACC curriculum, contact Timothy Guerin at the Career Center.