As a parent, you hear “Back to School” and you immediately make a to-do list of what’s needed to get your child ready for another year of learning. But “Back to School” could take on new meaning if you think about it from a business perspective. What ‘to-dos’ should businesses identify to effectively engage with their local schools and build their future workforce?

Having spent the last 25 years in workforce and talent development, I have not only encouraged industry to partner with their local schools, but I have witnessed the successful outcomes of strong industry-education relationships – “ah ha” moments from students who engage with industry and suddenly can see a clear pathway to an exciting career and industry leaders who are energized by the fresh, innovative ways students solve problems and approach challenges.

I hope every Hoosier business can find ways to engage with their local schools and, more importantly, students. Here are five ways – and five whys – employers can be co-developers of talent:

Opportunities to impact Hoosier students are endless and should be part of every company’s talent development strategy. I say this from experience, and I will continue to tell anyone who will listen about one of my favorite success stories. It involves one student who I met while working for a large manufacturer in Indiana. This student toured a manufacturing facility while he was in middle school, and later heard from an industry representative talk to his high school class about career pathways into the manufacturing industry. This student enrolled in CTE classes in high school, earned an associate degree in industrial manufacturing and found a career in Indiana in that very field. I firmly believe this student’s path was