Strong debut for Carthage’s new workplace education program

Completing a series of Carthage classes without leaving the plant, six employees of local manufacturer LMI Packaging earned certificates in Business Foundations.

Workplace-delivered education is a central element in the new Carthage Spark program, which broadens the College’s educational scope to meet changing student and employer needs. Carthage partnered with LMI to pilot this innovative program.

“This is something I would’ve never dreamed of: going back to college,” said LMI print operator Rosamaria Samano, one of the graduates.

Fifteen of the company’s workers took at least one of the business-focused courses over the past year — covering introduction to business, management principles, marketing, and accounting — that Carthage faculty taught on site in Pleasant Prairie. The growing family-owned business makes lids and labels for a range of industries.

The six employees who completed the entire four-course sequence received their official certificates in a Feb. 1 ceremony at LMI. Several representatives from Carthage, including President John Swallow, congratulated them in person.

Employers can use this convenient educational option as an added benefit to recruit and retain promising employees. High school graduates get the immediate security of a good income while deciding if college is right for them.

Energized by the successful launch, Carthage officials are actively seeking other community partners that could benefit from the Spark program. Agreements can be customized to help businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies develop and retain existing employees while recruiting new ones.

Know someone who’s looking for an innovative solution to their workforce needs? Have them contact Paul Martino, dean for the Division of Professional Studies and director of Spark: Workplace-Delivered Education, at: pmartino@carthage.edu 

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