Warsaw – Indiana-based iXplore™ is partnering with OrthoWorx to educate Hoosier middle school and high school students about careers in manufacturing and entrepreneurship. The project is made possible by a grant from the Don Wood Foundation. With this funding, the companies will broaden reach and exposure to orthopedics career pathways for 8th and 9th grade students across the Northern Indiana region, beginning in year one with Warsaw, Whitko, Wawasee, and Tippecanoe Valley School Corporations. This will be accomplished by building an immersive experience deployed through pop-up Virtual Reality (VR) roadshow events.

For nearly two decades, iXplore™ has been a leader in interactive experiences, working with blue-chip and blue-collar companies across the U.S. They leverage their knowledge of Virtual Reality, touch interactives, and web-based technologies to create engaging and immersive career exploration experiences. Informed by extensive research, their approach to immersive career exploration is powerful and unique, because it enables equitable, consistent messaging for featured pathways; excites users through fun, gamified experiences curated for their enjoyment; engages and inform in an immersive way that makes a lasting impression; and empowers and inspires by sharing what matters most about each career.

“We take an intentional and creative approach to our experiences, understanding that each industry and role carries with it a unique ‘why’ that matters even more to young people than just the ‘what’ or the ‘how,’’’ said iXplore™ CEO and Co-Founder Heather Jackson.

This initiative is important because, according to a Conexus Indiana report, “Indiana is at an inflection point – the state is already a national Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics (AML) leader, but to maintain its leadership position and reach global prominence Indiana must build the workforce of the future and enable Industry 4.0 occupations to increase productivity and competitiveness.”

From middle school to high school to young adults, the next generation of the workforce needs to have a more relevant and interactive way to understand the backpack of opportunities that awaits them in an industry. Through this initiative, students can be what they see.

iXplore™ and OrthoWorx will be developing the first VR experience in CNC Machining and Polishing, enabled by the help of industry partners, and plan to share the experience with 8th and 9th grade students in Kosciusko County beginning early next year. The entrepreneurship model will follow soon after. The partnership plans to expand the reach of these VR experiences in Northern Indiana over the next few years.

###

About iXplore™

iXplore™ bridges the gap between employers & candidates with immersive VR Career Discovery experiences. The company showcases career paths, culture, and messaging to engage & inspire candidates anywhere at any time, enhancing & maximizing talent acquisition efforts.

About OrthoWorx

OrthoWorx is an initiative formed in 2009 in the Orthopedic Capital of the World® through initial funding from Lilly Endowment Inc, to fill a critical void in the industry, serving as a connector for industry, education, and our community, leveraging resources to drive positive change. OrthoWorx was specifically designed to make our region the best place for orthopedic industry talent to grow and thrive. We are a catalyst, deepening connections among the various interrelated moving parts of our unique orthopedic industry ecosystem. This is accomplished through our work and initiatives to equip the next generation, enrich our community, and accelerate industry.