Grant Bestowed Upon OrthoWorx for Manufacturing, Entrepreneurship Education

OrthoWorx has been awarded a grant to educate middle school and high school students about careers in manufacturing and entrepreneurship.

Supported by funding from the Don Wood Foundation, OrthoWorx—in partnership with Indiana-based iXplore—will attempt to broaden the reach and exposure to orthopedic-related career pathways for 8th and 9th grade students throughout the region, beginning with Warsaw, Whitko, Wawasee, and Tippecanoe Valley School Corporations. The two organizations will create an immersive experience for students through pop-up virtual reality (VR) roadshow events.

“We look forward to providing fun and engaging experiences for students to explore these great career opportunities in Kosciusko County,” OrthoWorx Talent Director Erin Serafino said. “It’s one thing to show and tell, but it’s a whole new world they can step into with the VR headset—they will get to be the machinist or the polisher and decide if this career path fits their talents and interests.” 
 
iXplore CEO/Co-Founder Heather Jackson, added, “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.’ 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.” 
 
This education initiative will attempt to inform middle school and high school students as well as young adults about the array of opportunities that await them in the orthopedic industry. Through virtual reality, students can actively engage in various industry-related tasks and jobs. 
 
OrthoWorx and iXplore will develop the first VR experience in CNC machining and polishing with the help of industry partners, and expects to share the experience with 8th and 9th grade students in Kosciusko County early next year. The entrepreneurship model will follow soon after. OrthoWorx plans to expand the reach of these VR experiences to Northern Indiana over the next few years. 
 
Warsaw, Ind.-based OrthoWorx is an initiative formed in 2009 in the world’s orthopedic capital through initial funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. to fill a critical void in the industry—specifically to serve as a connector for industry, education, and the community to  leverage resources and drive positive change. OrthoWorx was specifically designed to transform the region into the best place for orthopedic industry talent to grow and thrive. The organization acts as a catalyst, deepening connections among the various interrelated moving parts of the orthopedic industry ecosystem. 
 
For nearly two decades, iXplore has developed interactive experiences, working with U.S. blue-chip and blue-collar companies. The company leverages its knowledge of virtual reality, touch interactives, and web-based technologies to create engaging and immersive career exploration experiences. Informed by extensive research, its approach to immersive career exploration enables equitable, consistent messaging for featured pathways; excites users through fun, gamified experiences curated for their enjoyment; engages and informs in an immersive way that makes a lasting impression; and empowers and inspires by sharing the important aspects of each career. 
 
The Don Wood Foundation is a private foundation, established in 2018 by Don Wood, founder of 80/20 Inc., that serves and supports innovators, leaders, collaborators, and skilled workers with the potential to create and sustain opportunities in manufacturing. DWF partners with nonprofits and educational institutions to provide sustained investment that helps develop a diverse workforce through exposure, education, and training to create a community rooted in advancing manufacturing.