WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12 OMAHA, Neb. — Metropolitan Community College (MCC) and The Bay are partnering to launch a new manufacturing-focused Gap Year program designed to help Omaha-area young adults build technical skills, earn industry-recognized credentials and explore pathways into skilled employment or continued education.
The 16-week program will run from Aug. 31 through Dec. 21, 2026, and is open to young adults ages 18-24.
Participants will receive hands-on manufacturing instruction at the MCC Fort Omaha Campus while also taking part in career exploration, professional development and workforce preparation through The Bay at Benson Community Center.
“Many young adults know they want a stable, meaningful career but may not yet know what pathway is right for them,” said Gary Girard, MCC vice president for Community and Workforce Education. “This partnership gives participants an opportunity to experience manufacturing firsthand, earn credentials employers recognize and make an informed decision about what comes next.”
Participants will have the opportunity to earn:
NeMAC Level 1 Manufacturing Credential
OSHA-10 General Industry certification
ACT National Career Readiness Certificate
Google AI Certification
The program will also include hands-on manufacturing instruction and lab experience, company visits, job shadows, employer networking, resume development, interview preparation and individual career coaching.
The Bay’s Gap Year model is designed to help young adults build confidence, professional skills and a clearer sense of direction. The Omaha manufacturing cohort expands that model by pairing career and life planning with technical training and direct exposure to local employers.
“Gap Year helps young adults move from uncertainty to a real plan,” said Christina Oldfather, senior director of Workforce Education at The Bay. “Through this partnership with MCC, participants will not only explore manufacturing, they will leave with valuable credentials, stronger professional skills and connections that can help them take their next step.”
The program is intended for young adults who are interested in hands-on learning, building and fixing things, exploring manufacturing or skilled trades, and finding a faster pathway toward paid, skilled work.
Programming will take place at two Omaha locations:
Metropolitan Community College, Fort Omaha Campus
The Bay at Benson Community Center
Applications are now open. Prospective participants and families can learn more and apply at thebay.org/gapyear.
About Metropolitan Community College
Metropolitan Community College, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, is a comprehensive, public community college that offers affordable, quality education to all residents of Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy and Washington counties. Founded in 1974, MCC has the largest enrollment out of six community colleges in Nebraska and is the second-largest postsecondary institution in the state.
About The Bay
The Bay is a youth development nonprofit that provides inclusive spaces and programs connecting young people’s interests to real-world opportunities. Through youth engagement and workforce education programs, The Bay helps young people build skills, relationships and pathways toward education, employment and adulthood.
Media contacts
Brian Ayers
Media and Public Relations Manager
Metropolitan Community College
531-MCC-2725
bmayers@mccneb.edu
Django Greenblatt-Seay
Senior Marketing and Communications Director
The Bay
402-201-8437
django@thebay.org
