Event is part of Schools That Can Newark’s three-month career readiness and externship program, which connects 40 Newark high school students with area employers
[Newark, NJ – March 8, 2017] Juniors and seniors from six Newark Public Schools (NPS) high schools and 4 public charter schools came together to participate in Schools That Can (STC) Newark’s “Interview and Networking Night” on Wednesday, March 1. The event, which took place at Bard High School Early College in Newark, New Jersey, is part of STC Newark’s “Bridging the Education to Employment (e2e) Gap” program, a three-month career readiness and externship program for 40 select juniors and seniors from 10 high schools across Newark.
“Newark Public Schools is dedicated to ensuring that all of our students are prepared for college, career and lifelong success,” said Christopher D. Cerf, Superintendent of Newark Public Schools. “The district is proud to continue our partnership with Schools That Can Newark, a program that exposes our students to real-life experiences outside of the classroom and allows them to explore a variety of career opportunities. Our students are the leaders of tomorrow, and by investing in career readiness programs today, we are creating a bright future for our students and community.”
Throughout the evening, students were interviewed by a wide-range of local employers participating in STC Newark’s externship program. Students also participated in workshops led by volunteers from Prudential Financial about interview preparation, actuarial science and marketing.
“So many of my former students and mentees who are in now college are struggling through the process of applying to and interviewing for internships. They make minor mistakes, miss deadlines or aren’t sure how to present themselves. Our Bridging the e2e Gap program allows students while still in high school to learn from and take ownership over the entire job application process while feeling safe to make mistakes along the way,” said Erin Sweeney, Executive Director of STC Newark. “STC Newark’s Bridging the e2e Gap is a great example of the work we do nationally as it is built completely on the power of collaboration between district, charter, and private high schools and numerous industry sectors.”
Following Wednesday’s “Interview and Networking Night”, students will be matched with one of the three employers they interviewed with and will participate in a one-day externship throughout March and April. The program will culminate with an end-of-the-year reflection and celebratory breakfast on June 1 at Express Newark.
This is the first year that the externship program has been a part of STC Newark’s “Bridging the e2e Gap” program. Since October 2016, the program’s Planning Committee, consisting of faculty from Bard High School Early College, Newark Collegiate Academy, Saint Benedict’s Preparatory School, and Great Oaks Legacy Charter High School, has worked diligently to secure externships with 14 local employers, representing a range of career paths, from finance and law to urban planning and nonprofits. Local employers participating in this year’s externship program include: Eleven80, FCB, Hollister Construction Services, McCarter & English, Newark Arts Council, Newark City Hall, NJ Devils/Prudential Center, NJPAC, NJ SEEDS, RBH Group, Schools That Can, Teach for America, University Hospital and Wells Fargo.
This is the second consecutive year that Newark Public Schools (NPS) students are participating in STC Newark’s “Bridging the e2e Gap” program, which runs from January to May. This year, 24 students from American History High School, Bard High School Early College, Fast Track Academy – UPLIFT, Technology High School, University High School and Weequahic High School were selected to participate in STC Newark’s program. Additionally, 16 students from Great Oaks Legacy Charter High School, KIPP Newark Collegiate Academy, People’s Prep Charter School and The Paulo Freire Charter School are participating in STC Newark’s program.
“As our students consider their college and career options, it is our responsibility as teachers and mentors to provide them with the opportunities and resources they need to make the most informed decisions they can about their future,” said Dr. John B. Weinstein, Principal of Bard High School Early College. “STC Newark’s ‘Bridging the e2e Gap’ program offers our students an invaluable opportunity to translate the skills they have gained throughout their educational journey into important work experience.”
In 2016, STC Newark’s inaugural “Bridging the e2e Gap” program connected 10 Newark high schools with a dozen area employers, resulting in nearly 60 new partnership opportunities impacting hundreds of students, including: job shadowing at Microsoft, a “Law Career Day” at McCarter & English, financial literacy workshops with Wells Fargo and site visits with Panasonic.
About Schools That Can
Schools That Can (STC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that unites educators and leaders within its cross-sector network of urban schools to share innovative and effective practices. The network includes more than 170 district, charter, independent and faith-based schools in 15 cities—all of which serve predominantly low-income students and students of color. Since 2005, STC Newark has worked with over 40 schools throughout the city, facilitating programming and partnerships to help our community close the opportunity and skills gap for our students. For more information, contact esweeney@nullschoolsthatcan.org or go to www.schoolsthatcan.org, follow @SchoolsThatCan on Twitter, and like STC Newark’s page at www.facebook.com/schoolsthatcannewark.