EDUCATION

Mason County communities place a high value on life-long learning, which is evident in the variety of educational options and resources for children, teens and adults. Just as important are the involvement and support from individuals, community organizations, business and industry. The extraordinary natural resources of Lake Michigan, inland lakes, rivers, forests, farmland, and the history of the area are woven into learning opportunities making for very rich and dynamic experiences for all.

Public and Private School Systems

The fully accredited public and private school systems begin with early childhood and school readiness programs, and follow with curricula and fine arts for Kindergarten through 8th grade in private schools, and Kindergarten through 12th grade programs in public schools. A full variety of athletic and co-curricular programs and and clubs are a big part of school and community life in Mason County, as well as Community Leisure and Enrichment Programs. There is also a vibrant home-schooling community.

Community College

West Shore Community College serves Mason and surrounding counties with fully accredited educational curricula for its own students, and athletic, arts, enrichment and accredited programs designed to complement high school programs and serve the community. Mentorships, internships and scholarships are available from area citizens, groups and businesses, who are invested in the professional and personal success of area youth.

Collaboration

Mason County has expanded its collaborative concentration to include educational institutions and local businesses. Working together they provide opportunities for students to prepare for careers after high school. The MCGA recognizes the necessity for collaboration at this critical transition point to provide training and resources to support students and the workforce of Mason County.

OE/OE

West Shore Community College offers an Open-Entry/Open-Exit (OE/OE) programs allowing for enrollment at any time throughout the year. Employers have great flexibility in building training programs by ala carte selection of modules from a menu of skill sets. Students have an increased ability to work while earning a college degree since the hours of delivery are modeled to fit work schedules, including both online and hands-on training.

Job Placement & Internships

WSCC works with students for both paid & unpaid internships, credit and non-credit internships. They work with the regional business community and WSCC faculty to match students to appropriate opportunities.

Work Ready Community

Mason County is working toward gaining the designation of Work Ready Community. ACT Work Ready Communities (WRC) empowers states, regions and counties with data, process and tools that drive economic growth. Participants are leveraging the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC™) to measure and close the skills gap — and building common frameworks that link, align and match their workforce development efforts.

Learn more: http://workreadycommunities.org/MI/105

Summer Employment Program

The Mason County Growth Alliance hosts summer job fairs for high school students in early spring at Mason County Central High School and Ludington High School. The goal of this employment program is two-fold:

Help local employers meet their summertime staffing needs.
Help high school students find summer jobs, and ultimately start developing the employability skills that will make them successful in the future.

As a part of this program the growth alliance will be offering students crash courses in resume writing, networking and interview skills, workplace expectations, and other similar topics, while also pairing students up with a job coach who will serve as a resource to that student and their employer over the course of the summer employment period.

Senior Career Day

An opportunity for graduating seniors to spend time with a business or in a professional setting related to their desired career School counselors work in collaboration with area business to match students with opportunities. The students shadow the hosting business to gain insight about a typical day and experience required in their chosen career field. This experience offers invaluable practical insight that can help them focus on appropriate courses of study to prepare for their careers.