| Stoughton Career Exposure Series - 2026 |
Amount Funded: $3,500.00 |
| The Stoughton Career Exposure Series will connect young people preparing for skilled trades careers with the employers, workplaces, and opportunities that make Stoughton an important part of Dane County’s economy. Stoughton has a strong manufacturing and skilled trades presence, yet many young people, particularly those from low-income households and communities historically underrepresented in these industries, have limited opportunities to see these careers firsthand before making decisions about life after high school.
Career exposure is the first step in a broader workforce pathway. Through McKenzie Regional Workforce Center programming, 97 youth have completed pre-apprenticeship training, 97 have received construction-related certifications, 63 have gained construction-related work experience through internships or summer jobs, and 43 high school graduates have entered a construction-related apprenticeship, college program, or career. These outcomes demonstrate how early exposure can lead to deeper training and workforce participation.
From January through December 2027, BGCDC will organize three career exposure visits to Stoughton-area employers, reaching approximately 15 to 20 youth per visit. Youth will tour workplaces, meet skilled professionals, and learn about occupations, wages, credentials, apprenticeships, and advancement opportunities. BGCDC staff will provide transportation, supervision, pre-visit preparation, and follow-up career exploration at MRWC.
The project will benefit Stoughton by introducing a racially and economically diverse group of future workers to local industries early in their career exploration. By helping youth build familiarity with Stoughton employers and understand the careers available there, BGCDC can increase participants’ awareness of future apprenticeships, training, and employment opportunities in the Stoughton area. At the same time, employers gain meaningful opportunities to engage the next generation of skilled workers and strengthen the community’s long-term workforce pipeline. |
| BGCDC will implement a Stoughton Career Exposure Series through Careerforce Build Up! during the 2027 calendar year. Approximately 45 to 60 youth will participate in three career exposure visits to Stoughton-area employers in skilled trades, manufacturing, and related industries.
Each visit will give participants direct exposure to professional workplaces and the people working within them. Youth will tour facilities, observe skilled professionals on the job, learn about tools and technology used in different occupations, and speak directly with employees about their career paths. Employers will introduce participants to job responsibilities, workplace expectations, required training and credentials, wages, apprenticeship opportunities, and pathways for advancement.
BGCDC staff will identify and coordinate with participating Stoughton employers, prepare youth before each experience, provide transportation and supervision, and facilitate follow-up career exploration at the McKenzie Regional Workforce Center. BGCDC is currently exploring opportunities with Stoughton-area employers, including conversations with Stoughton Trailers about a potential welding experience.
BGCDC will track participation and collect youth feedback following each visit, with the goal of increasing participants’ understanding of Stoughton-area career opportunities, the skills and credentials required to enter those careers, and potential next steps into training, apprenticeships, or employment. The project will also establish new employer connections in the Stoughton area that can support future Careerforce career exposure and workforce activities. All experiences will be provided at no cost to participating youth or families. |
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