President Leah Barrett addresses community members and regional partners during an Ownership Linkage Meeting hosted by Northeast Community College on May 1 in Ainsworth, highlighting the college’s Workforce Development Zone Partnership Model and local engagement efforts.
AINSWORTH, Neb. — Northeast Community College brought together area educators, business leaders, and community partners in Ainsworth on May 1 to share updates on workforce development, extended campus services, and new partnership efforts designed to meet local and regional workforce needs.
The Ownership Linkage Meeting, focused on the college’s Workforce Development Zone Partnership Model, an approach that places dedicated college staff directly in communities to strengthen education-to-career pathways and regional collaboration.
“Northeast Community College is committed to meeting communities where they are,” said President Leah Barrett. “By having teams embedded in North Central Nebraska communities like Ainsworth, we can better respond to local workforce needs and support students, employers, and schools in meaningful ways.”
Vice President of Educational Services Charlene Widener shared an overview of the Workforce Development Zone Partnership Model, which the college has developed over the past 18 months to better serve its 20-county service area. The model emphasizes strong local relationships by assigning workforce development teams to specific geographic zones.
Each zone includes an extended campus director, early college navigator, and business and community engagement liaison.
Extended campus directors oversee local campus operations, educational programming, and student support services. Early college navigators work directly with area high schools to connect students to college coursework and career pathways. Business and community engagement liaisons work with local employers, chambers of commerce, and community organizations to support workforce training and economic development.
“The goal is simple: strong local partnerships and quick, responsive service,” Widener said. “When our teams live and work in the communities they serve, collaboration happens naturally.”
During the meeting, attendees were introduced to Stacey Aldag, who will serve as business and community engagement liaison. Updates were also provided by O’Neill Extended Campus Director Merri Schneider and director of Early College, Kayla Burdick, highlighting ongoing work with area students and schools.
Additional institutional updates included nursing education partnerships with Brown County Hospital, and information on the Rural Health Transformation Grant.
