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School-to-Career: What is it?What is it? School-to-career is an educational approach that combines rigorous classroom instruction with work-site experiences that offer practical, hands-on training. It’s based on the proven concept that education works best and is the most useful for future careers when students apply what they learn in school to real-life, real-work situations. This gives students the opportunity to make informed career decisions. Basically, school-to-career prepares people for careers in the New Economy, focusing on academic and professional success. School-to-Career is:
Why is school-to-career necessary? Nationwide, students are graduating from high school without the proper skills, training or vision needed for the workforce or to advance their education. What’s more, today’s employers can’t find enough skilled and motivated workers to fill good jobs. How does school-to-career work? School-to-career programs are now available throughout many of Connecticut’s schools. Students in school-to-career programs learn about and explore myriad career opportunities in 10 industry clusters that have been identified by employers. The industry clusters are:
CBIA has outlined the jobs that will be in demand by employers in these clusters and the skills standards students will have to meet in order to gain entry-level employment, either with a high school diploma or a degree from a higher-education institution. (CBIA Career Exploration) School-to-career emphasizes: High academic achievement School-to-career is intended to ensure that participating students meet challenging academic standards and that they master the tools they’ll need to enter employment and/or succeed in a program of higher education. Responsibility Just as they are held to high academic standards, students are required to honor work-site rules and fulfill their obligations to employer-hosts in a mature and responsible fashion. Students are expected to stay in school, take a core academic curriculum, demonstrate competencies in the Connecticut career clusters, maintain their grades and make measurable progress toward completing a diploma. Employer involvement Employers play a very important role in school-to-career. First, they help schools understand what today’s workplace is like and exactly what kinds of knowledge and skills they need from job applicants. Then, they provide the opportunities for students to work with them — and ultimately earn a Connecticut Career Certificate. The certificate is a designation officially recognizing the academic, technical and employability skills students have attained. Local participation Participating employers become part of a school-to-career network of partnerships with local educators, government, and ultimately, parents and students. Close ties Classroom instruction and work-based learning experiences are closely coordinated to enhance the value of each. For example, work-site learning often involves the practical application of mathematics, science, reading, writing, social studies and computer skills. At the work site, employees also help students develop skills in problem solving, teamwork, time management and communication. School-to-career programs are proven to help students stay motivated, stay in school and then move on to gainful employment or higher-education programs. Support CBIA provides outreach and support to employers and educators who participate in school-to-career. We have developed materials and tools that are available online to help establish effective school-to-career partnerships. We believe that by working together, we can expand opportunities for all Connecticut students and increase the supply of skilled workers for employers. We can also connect you to the right people to work with in your local schools.
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Programs Involving StudentsPrograms Involving Educators
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