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c o u r t e s y o f S e c o n d C h a n c e Pa r t n e r s f o r E d u c at i o n Students who are participating in the Second Chance Partners for Education work on classroom material at the Plexus Education Center. They also will spend part of their time gaining real-world experience at manufacturing jobs, earning their high school diplomas in a non-traditional way. school districts, nine high schools and 12 business partners in the New North. In the fall, Second Chance will add three new school districts/high schools and additional new business partners for a new education center opening in the region. ���Everybody has a meaningful piece of involvement through the course of the 21 months with these students,��� says Stephanie Borowski, president of Second Chance. ���We help these young people get a strong education but get prepared for a meaningful future.��� Stringer has benefitted from his experience working at Schwabe NA Green Bay, noting he has learned the importance of work ethic, time management and ���learning to follow through and actually stay committed to something and not drop out and give up.��� The program was founded in 2000 by Generac Power Systems, Inc.���s Dawn Tabat, current chief operating officer, under the name of Pathways to Lifelong Learning Youth Apprentice Program. The program was renamed to Second Chance in 2002 and then merged with Waukesha-based Partners in Education in 2005 to become the non-profit organization Second Chance Partners for Education, Inc. The organization has had explosive growth over the last three years with a 60 percent growth rate in 2011-12. Today, the Second Chance program has 12 education centers, also known as onsite classrooms, serving more than 135 students across northern and southeastern Wisconsin. School districts identify students who would benefit from the program and its hands-on approach to learning. There is a formal process that includes an application, interviews and a meeting between a Second Chance staff member and the family of the potential participant. ���There is a commitment from the very, very beginning,��� says Borowski. Companies such as Plexus in Neenah recognize the importance of providing opportunities to youth. Plexus partnered with Second Chance early in 2012 and is hosting the education center for the students. ���This partnership allows a student to earn a high school diploma through non-traditional methods,��� says Scott Kettler, general manager of Plexus���s Neenah operations. Second Chance also works with Jeff Grant, general manager of Plexus Appleton 1 facility and Scott Achin, general manager of Appleton 2. Plexus hosts four students total, two at Neenah and two at Appleton facilities. Kettler says the students gain handson, practical work experience. ���As we look to the future, Plexus recognizes the importance of attracting youth to the field of manufacturing,��� continued > 4th Annual InDevelopment Conference Tuesday, February 19, 2013 7:45 a.m. ��� 4:30 p.m. at the Oshkosh Convention Center, Oshkosh The region���s best will gather to share information on economic development, financing, targeted industries, global and national development trends. For more information & to register, visit www.InsightOnBusiness.com w w w.in s i g h t o n m f g . c o m January 2013 ��� Insight on Manufacturing | 15