First Spring Explore Class Underway
Curriculum January 22, 2024
Effingham Regional Career Academy expands course schedule
For the first time since its inception, the Explore ERCA program has a Spring semester class. Through Explore ERCA, area high school students are introduced to business owners and leaders throughout Effingham County while learning valuable employability skills.
The Explore Class is is a single semester course designed to introduce students to local career
opportunities in Agriculture, Healthcare, Information Technology, Manufacturing, and Transportation. The class follows a format of six weeks in a business setting learning in-depth about different businesses and what those professions do. During the last half of the semester, students spend class time alongside business professionals in one of the occupational areas that interest them the most.
At the end of the Fall 2023 semester, students were invited to give presentations to the County Board. The Board heard why students chose to participate in Explore ERCA and what they learned from the experience. Fall Explore students made a similar presentation to the Noon Rotary group.
The Explore ERCA class is the first phase of The Effingham Regional Career Academy, which continues to make progress toward the launch of full program implementation in August, 2024. Through a strategic partnership with Lake Land College, ERCA classes will be housed in the new Lake Land College Effingham Technology Center.
High school counselors in the 14 partner schools will begin the registration process shortly. Remodeling of the new Lake Land facility in Effingham has begun with installation of fiber needed to support the virtual technology that will set the ETC and ERCA at the forefront of Career and Technical Education. ERCA committees are also making plans for the second generation of coursework to be offered as early as the Fall 2025 to meet the projected employment and skill needs in the Effingham area with data provided by our WIOA, CBI and area business partners.
Effingham Regional Career Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization that oversees the operation of the Effingham Regional Career Academy. Serving communities and 14 school districts in Clay, Cumberland, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper and Shelby counties, ERCA offers focused curriculum and advanced, hands-on training that allows high school students and current professionals to gain hands-on education. The goal is to provide the region with well-educated and trained individuals who are able to work in their field of choice without moving away.
ERCA is available through partnerships with regional businesses, communities and schools, including Lake Land College. For more details, visit https://www.eiefes.k12.il.us/regional-programs/erca.
