Alex Maggos, director of Workforce Strategies at Ascend Indiana, knows the impact work-based learning opportunities have on young people. As one of several Ascend leaders focused on creating career pathways for students, she hears from students every day about how their experience in the workplace – coupled with their classroom education – has influenced them. She was recently invited to moderate a panel of young Hoosiers at the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership See Yourself IN Summit. The panelists talked about their work-based experiences in the tech, advanced manufacturing and healthcare environment. Read the Q&A with Alex to see what students have to say about their experiences – and how that fuels her passion for student success.

Much of your work with Ascend focuses on creating pathways for students to learn outside the classroom in work-based learning opportunities. If you had to choose one thing you hear most from your interactions with students about the importance of work-based learning, what would that be?

One of the most exciting things we hear from students is how work-based learning opens doors they never imagined. Students talk about the pride they feel when they’re given real, meaningful tasks—often far beyond what they expected. Even more powerful is how these experiences help them refine their career goals, giving them the clarity and confidence to take the next steps in their professional journeys.

You recently moderated a panel for Central Indiana Corporation Partnership’s See Yourself IN Summit. The panel included three young Hoosiers talking about their experiences in work-based learning environments. What was one major theme you heard from each student?

I had the pleasure of moderating a panel with three impressive young Hoosiers: Jaylen Hill (EmployIndy’s Modern Apprenticeship program), Alexa Gonzales-Tuesta (TechPoint’s Xtern program) and Ope Oguninde (Conexus’ Catapult program). Jaylen, a high school senior, shared how his apprenticeship at Roche has allowed him to take on leadership roles, manage large projects and even speak to state leaders about advancing apprenticeship programs. Ope, also a senior, talked about how her experience in the Catapult program opened her eyes to the vast opportunities in advanced manufacturing, reshaping her career outlook. Alexa, a college student and two-time TechPoint Xtern participant, discussed how the program helped her build critical skills in tech that have been instrumental in her professional development. Each of their stories highlighted the power of hands-on learning and the life-changing impact it can have on a young person’s future.

There were more than 250 students from Indiana high schools attending the See Yourself IN Summit. What did you hear from them about the event and your panel?

The students at the See Yourself IN Summit were incredibly engaged and excited about the event. I heard a lot of enthusiasm about the panels and the opportunity to hear directly from young people who had experienced work-based learning firsthand. Many of the students were especially inspired by the stories shared on our panel, commenting on how they hadn’t realized the wide range of career paths that could be opened up through programs like apprenticeships and internships. It was clear that the event sparked a lot of curiosity and motivation to explore these kinds of opportunities for themselves.

What is most rewarding for you in your role at Ascend and specifically as it relates to the work you do for young Hoosiers?

What drives me every day in this work is hearing from students about how these experiences have shaped their futures. There’s nothing more rewarding than when a student says, “This changed my life” or “I never thought I’d have the chance to do this.” It’s a powerful reminder that providing opportunities and hands-on experiences can have a compounding effect, opening doors and creating lasting change in their lives.

What is your vision for opportunities available to high school students in the next five years?

To create more work-based learning opportunities! As a state, we’re on the verge of incredible change in this area, and it excites me to think about how many more students could have access to these experiences in the near future. I can’t wait to see the future leaders that will be shaped through these experiences!