Ivy Tech Community College Warsaw recently welcomed nearly 60 sophomore students from Warsaw Community High School as part of the Johnson & Johnson Bridge to Employment (BTE) program that is sponsored locally by DePuy Synthes*, The Orthopaedics Company of Johnson & Johnson. During the event, students toured Warsaw’s campus, the OAMTC center, spoke with instructors and engaged in hands-on activities. They were exposed to high-demand programs offered at Ivy Tech Warsaw, like health sciences, advanced manufacturing, general studies and business administration.
“Ivy Tech Warsaw is privileged to be a local higher education partner in the BTE program, and we were excited to host the BTE- Warsaw cohort’s first college tour. We know students walked away with a greater understanding of dual credit opportunities and the many ways that Ivy Tech can help them get started earning a high value career credential or a transferrable degree,” said Allyn Decker, Vice Chancellor of Ivy Tech Warsaw.
The program is designed to help students develop essential skills for successful careers through academic enrichment, career exploration and post-secondary education planning. The BTE program focuses on an array of STEM2D pathways within the health care industry but strengthens students’ pathways regardless of academic or professional interest through a mentorship program with 30 DePuy Synthes mentors. Ivy Tech, as the first collegiate visit, inspired students to consider more affordable and accessible college credits through the Dual Credit program and a range of associate degree programs. Over the course of the semester, students explore higher education options. The semester culminated in a tour at Ivy Tech, one student noted that the semester “helped me see the possibilities and gave me a better concept of how college worked.”
BTE is a selective three-year program for high school students that strategically partners with OrthoWorx, DePuy Synthes, Warsaw Community High School, Ivy Tech Warsaw, Grace College, Purdue Fort Wayne, and Indiana University Fort Wayne. A highlight of the program is that every student is matched with a DePuy Synthes mentor that they will work with for the duration of the BTE program. The first cohort of BTE started at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year and will continue through the end of their students’ senior year.
Learn more about BTE at bridge2employment.org/
* DePuy Synthes Sales, Inc.
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