Ivy Tech launches career-based projects that help students meet new high school diploma requirements

Hands-on projects in culinary arts, robotics, semiconductors and others will help students explore career fields and count toward Indiana’s new work-based learning standards

Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington has launched new High School Challenges designed to help students explore career fields through hands-on, project-based experiences. Each challenge is designed to take about 25 hours, making it an ideal option for fulfilling a portion of Indiana’s new high school diploma work-based learning requirements. Prizes will be awarded for the top outstanding submissions.

Students can choose projects from a variety of fields, including advanced manufacturing/robotics, biology and biotechnology, culinary arts, design technology, human services and social work, or semiconductors and electronics. The challenges will help students learn more about the industries and apply their classroom knowledge.

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“These challenges give high school students a real taste of what it’s like to work in these fields,” said Sarah Cote, Dean of the School of Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering, and Applied Science, the School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, and the School of Public Affairs and Social Services at Ivy Tech Bloomington. “They’re not just classroom projects—they’re authentic learning experiences that help students connect their interests to real careers, gain feedback from professionals, and see how Ivy Tech can help them take the next step toward their goals.”

Participants will gain professional insight, with projects being reviewed by Ivy Tech faculty and industry partners serving on program advisory boards.

Ivy Tech Bloomington’s High School Challenges are open to students in Brown, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Morgan, Orange, and Owen counties. Entries are due by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 6, 2026.

For details on the challenges and how to participate, visit https://link.ivytech.edu/challenges.

Ivy Tech Bloomington offers more than 40 career and four-year transfer programs, with courses that start multiple times per year for quick entry and graduation. To get started, apply online at ivytech.edu/bloomington or email [email protected]. For information on free, short-term training programs, visit ivytech.edu/bloomington/NLJ.