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Fueling the Talent Pipeline - Levels of involvement

The Work-Based Learning Continuum

There are multiple ways that an employer can get involved with the Fueling the Talent Pipeline initiative and help prepare students to graduate from high school with a plan to further their education or launch a career. These range from a few hours to long-term commitments.

A full list of ways you can help guide the next generation workforce can be found below.

Now more than ever, it is important that our young people leave high school career and college ready and we need your help to make that happen.

If you are a business interested in helping shape the future of our talent pipeline by getting involved with schools, please complete this form and a specialist will contact you to discuss your options.

Participate in a Career Fair or Expo

Create a display that describes your organization and the types of careers you offer. Whenever possible, include hands-on opportunities for students to see and touch the “tools of your trade” and provide giveaway items.

Visit a classroom

Develop a presentation of 30 minutes or less that describes your organization and the types of careers you offer. Include visual props that demonstrate the “tools of your trade” and be prepared to ask questions to get students engaged with you. Talk about the types of credentials needed to apply for the types of jobs you offer and the pay and benefits you offer. Encourage students to ask questions.

Offer workplace tours

Invite a group of students, teachers and chaperones to visit your workplace to see careers in action. Prepare to show them a glimpse of your operations so that students see how many careers intersect to create company success. Prepare employees to offer mini introductions to the work they do and offer students time to ask questions

Play host to job shadows

Invite students to visit your workplace to see people at work. Job shadow opportunities are typically for 11th graders who have selected a career path and want to gain a better understanding of what it is really like to have a job. They last anywhere from four to eight hours and should offer a chance for students to interact with employees, observe (or help) with tasks and ask questions. Job Shadow 101

Hire an intern

A supervised work-based learning experience which links an 11th or 12th grade student with an employer for a planned set of activities often designed to give the student a broad overview of a business or occupational career pathway. (May be short-term: 18 weeks)

Hire a co-op student (Cooperative Education)

A school-supervised and structured 15 hour/week paid work experience during their 12th-grade year arranged by the school and the employer to lead to an occupational goal. This experience is for the entire school year and includes a training agreement and a training plan, which couples the classroom learning with the workplace experience.

Co-teach

Work with a teacher to assist a class to complete a real-world, project-based assignment.

Provide educators with externships

As technology evolves, it is important that teachers are exposed to the newest practices and tools that future employees will be expected to know. Through an externship, sometimes with compensation provided by the district, teachers spend up to two weeks over the summer break learning how to update curriculum and lesson to keep learning relevant.

Mentorships

Specialty programs such as robotics, are always in need of knowledgeable adults who can lend their expertise with projects or competitive teams.

Others

The Career Technical Education (CTE) programs offered by districts are required to have employers involved in their advisory boards, This commitment typically involves a few meetings throughout the year to review curriculum and lesson plans as a way to keep learning relevant with current employer needs. There are occasionally opportunities to serve as part of a formal presentation offered to large groups of students.