Shiloh Seim, Class of 2017, has been promoted to Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship Coordinator at Ottumwa Job Corps. Job Corps, the nation’s largest free education and job training program for young adults, has impacted over 2500 students in its first ten years in Ottumwa. In her new role, Shiloh is excited to continue to support students by overseeing their learning of new skills through placement with local employers and apprenticeship partnerships.
Her time in the Academy changed her understanding of Ottumwa. She said, “Before my time in the Ottumwa Leadership Academy, I didn’t know how interconnected everything was in our community. My vision was narrow. I’m so thankful that I had the eye-opening opportunity to truly see and learn about so many aspects of our community; the schools, education, government, hospitals, companies, social resources, and so much more. I was also privileged to work on team projects with great leaders in our community that helped mentor and cultivate my knowledge and experiences with our community even more. These windows allowed me to blossom many networks that set me up to be able to start a strong pathway for my new position as Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship Coordinator for the students I’m privileged to assist at the Ottumwa Job Corps Center.”
Shiloh admits she was nervous when she first enrolled in the Ottumwa Leadership Academy but encouraged anyone considering joining the Academy not to let fear hold them back. “I worried I wouldn’t fit in or that I would just hear boring lectures. It’s super interactive, though, and you make lifelong friends and get to positively impact our community in the process. It’s also only one day out of the month (which can be tough to fathom when you are busy at work) but, with the networks and education you can attain, you can cultivate way more for your career and the business you represent than you could on your own.”
