Career-specific education will help prepare students of today to be the workforce of tomorrow
Wisconsin-based Packers Sanitation Service, Inc. (PSSI), a leading food safety solution and sanitation company, has pledged $125,000 to help enhance the 5 new emerging career academies at the Waterloo Career Center (WCC) in the Waterloo Community School District (WCSD).
This partnership enables the Waterloo Schools Board of Education to put learning equipment in the hands of students across the five academies that include Agri-Science; PowerTech; Beauty-Wellness; Criminal Justice/Police Science; and the reinstatement of Hospitality. This upcoming 2024-2025 school year, students of the WCSD and surrounding partnered districts will have over 24 career academies to choose from to expand their knowledge of future career paths in the Cedar Valley.
“The Waterloo Community School District is excited to launch the Academies in the interest of expanding educational opportunities for our students” said Amy Miehe, Associate Director of K-12 Career Development. “Our partnership with PSSI fuels our ability to equip students with valuable job skills that will open doors that might otherwise be closed to them.”
With a goal of skill training for high-demand career paths, PSSI says the Waterloo Career Center is a natural partner.
“PSSI is proud to be a part of the Waterloo Community and offer our support for direct community services that provide education and essential job training” said Tim Mulhere, CEO of PSSI. “We view our participation in the work of the Waterloo Career Center as an investment in this vibrant community that we serve and reflective of the importance of career-focused learning.”
The Waterloo Schools Foundation is a proud partner of the Waterloo Career Center and facilitator of their financial partnerships. Out of its $2.5 million gifted to the WCSD, the WSF has directly invested over $500,000 into the Waterloo Career Center and career and technical education.
“Seeing community partners on a local and national level understand the goldmine of the WCC is priceless“ said Hannah Luce, executive director of the Waterloo Schools Foundation. “We can’t thank PSSI enough for their generosity, and this new partnership”.
A check signing will occur at the Waterloo Career Center on January 22nd, 2024, from 2-2:30 PM. PSSI will also join the Waterloo Schools as an at-large Partner in Education and Legacy Sponsor of the Waterloo Career Center. PSSI will be represented by Vice President of Marketing Gina Swenson, Vice President Enterprise Controller Nicole Johnson, and Vice President of Operations Josh Hinkle.
For additional information about PSSI, contact Gina Swenson, Vice President of Marketing, at gswenson@pssi.com.
Questions regarding donations and pledged gifts for the Waterloo Career Center can be directed to Hannah Luce at 319-939-9550. More information can be found at wcsfoundation.org.
About PSSI: PSSI is the premier provider of food safety solutions in North America, offering comprehensive sanitation services, chemical products, pest management, and intervention solutions for food processing facilities. Its team of skilled food sanitors, microbiologists, technical experts and engineers are committed to keeping USDA, FDA, and CFIA processing facilities clean, safe, and audit-ready.