The CESA 5 School-to-Work (STW) Consortium project is organized to assist districts  access Carl Perkins funding and promote the improvement of Career & Technical Education. The project provides comprehensive staff development and provides technical assistance for the implementation of the initiative. A major focus of the project includes the alignment of the Wisconsin Academic Standards to Career & Technical Education and the development/expansion of work-based learning opportunities for students. Career & Technical Education instructors are given assistance in completing the standards alignment process, updating current Career & Technical Education programs and creating a vision for the future. CESA 5 STW Consortium schools each receive funding from the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) Carl Perkins grant, which is accessed throught the federal Carl Perkins Legislation and/or the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Youth Apprenticeship grant.

CESA 5 STW coordinators are responsible for assisting districts to meet the assurances of the grant. Regional Councils are used to develop partnerships with local coordinators and business/industry, update local and regional plans related to Education for Employment (Standard m), assist in gathering the data for reports and establish relationships with the Wisconsin Technical College Systems (WTCS) and the University of Wisconsin (UW) System. Each district establishes a mission and vision statement, goals, activities, and evaluation methods for the School-to-Work initiative. Planning occurs around the following components:

• Awareness, understanding and commitment to the School-to-Work initative,
• Career & Technical Education and curriculum development,
• Equal educational opportuntities for all students, with special attention given to students of special populations,
• Career counseling/development for students,
• Work-based learning opportunities for students,
• Partnerships between education, business, industry and labor,
• Connections with the WTCS and the UW-System.

CESA 5 provides on-site consultation to all member districts and is the fiscal grant manager for the Carl Perkins and Youth Apprenticeship funding.