Local Tour Connects Students to Careers, Aims to Keep Talent

A multi partner outreach known as the Tour of Opportunities gave Perry County students direct exposure to in county career paths through guided visits and hands on experiences at employers, at Ivy Tech, and with workforce partners. The program targeted middle and high school students, aiming to connect classroom learning with real world jobs in manufacturing, healthcare, the skilled trades, and other sectors that employ local residents. The Southern Indiana Business Report ran a feature on the effort on November 3, 2025, highlighting the scope of the visits and the role of institutions in building local talent pipelines.

Organizers include area school systems, Ivy Tech Community College, workforce development partners, and the Perry County Development Corporation, known locally as PickPerry or PCDC. Local employers participated by opening worksites and demonstrating day to day operations, while postsecondary and workforce partners outlined credentialing and training pathways. For students the experience is intended to make abstract career options tangible, and for employers it serves as an early recruitment and retention strategy in a county facing the common rural challenge of keeping young talent close to home.

The local impact is practical and political. Short term, students gain information about employer expectations and the credentials that increase hiring prospects. Mid term, clearer pathways can reduce out migration by giving young residents reason to build careers locally rather than moving away for training or work. Long term, expanding in county workforce capacity supports the local tax base and can influence broader economic resilience. Those outcomes depend on sustained coordination, funding, and measurable results rather than single events.

From a policy and institutional standpoint, the Tour highlights several points for local leaders. School boards and county officials will decide how much resource to commit to career and technical education, dual enrollment opportunities, and partnerships with community colleges. The development corporation and workforce partners must track placement and credentialing rates to demonstrate return on investment. State and federal workforce grants often require performance metrics, so transparent reporting will be central to sustaining support.

For voters and civic participants, the program connects to issues that surface regularly in local elections. Economic development priorities, school spending decisions, and workforce training initiatives shape job prospects and public finances. Residents concerned about youth retention, employer needs, or school curriculum can follow the work of PickPerry, Ivy Tech, and school leaders at public meetings and budget hearings to hold institutions accountable and ensure these efforts align with community goals.

The Tour of Opportunities is one part of a broader push to make local careers visible and accessible. Its long term success will depend on continued collaboration, clear metrics, and community engagement to translate promising exposure into sustainable pipelines and opportunities for Perry County residents.