Students are given the opportunity to demonstrate the skills needed for life and career success. High school seniors may earn the Work Ethic Certification, while elementary and middle school students may earn the local PRIDE and PRIDE+ Certificates. Persistence, responsibility, initiative, dependability, and efficiency are the PRIDE skills identified by employers as those needed in the workplace, along with attendance, GPA, community service, and more. The program helps students understand what is necessary to be successful and rewards those who meet the standards. All students are eligible to participate. Students can earn the Governor’s Work Ethic Certificate to recognize their efforts in high school. Middle school students can earn the PRIDE+ certificate, and elementary students can earn the PRIDE certificate.

Click to view our flyer: Work Ethic Flyer

Student Certificates

Governor’s Work Ethic Certificate

High School – Governors Work Ethic Certificate

12th Grade

At this level, students demonstrate PRIDE skills as well as organization, punctuality, respectfulness, and teamwork skills and complete additional community service. Students earning this certificate may take advantage of the incentives offered by our local partners as they continue on their career pathway.

PRIDE+ Certificate

Middle School – Pride+ Work Ethic Certificate

8th Grade

Students earning the PRIDE+ Certificate demonstrate persistence, responsibility, initiative, dependability, and efficiency at school. They also participate in community service projects to benefit their school and community. Middle school students continue to learn and explore career pathways and hone their PRIDE skills.

PRIDE Certificate

Elementary School – Pride Work Ethic Certificate

Elementary School 5th or 6th Grade (whichever is the highest grade in the school)

Persistence, responsibility, initiative, dependability, and efficiency are the core skills of the PRIDE certificate. Students earning this certificate demonstrate these skills on a regular basis throughout the school year and begin to develop an awareness of the skills necessary to be successful. Students are introduced to the careers they may pursue in the future and how the skills relate to those careers.

Business Partners

The Governor’s Work Ethic Certification program creates a pipeline for students to be college and career ready. The program benefits the participating students, schools, and local industry. Business and other community organizations support the program by providing employment incentives to students who earn the Work Ethic Certification. Guaranteed interviews, mentoring opportunities, tuition reimbursement, sign-on bonuses, higher starting wages, flexible work schedules, and bonus vacation days are some of the incentives that may be offered by our partners.Look for partnership signs throughout our communities. Contact Whitewater Career Center for partnership information.

Click below to learn more about becoming a Work Ethic business partner:

WCC Work Ethic Certificate Business Partner Opportunity

Click below to see our list of Work Ethic business partners:

Governors Work Ethic Certificate Business Partner List – May 2019

Participating Schools

WCC has partnered with our six school corporations to offer The Governor’s Work Ethic Certification program to our students. Our participating schools are:

• Centerville-Abington School Corporation
• Fayette County School Corporation
• Franklin County Community School Corporation
• Rush County Schools
• Union County College Corner Joint School District
• Western Wayne Schools