Workbased Learning

Legal Industry Intern Group

The program sessions will typically take place on Wednesday evenings during the first semester from 3:30 to 5:00pm with the exception of a few sessions such as the County Jail tour which will begin at 2:30pm (early release from school will be necessary). Students will have the opportunity to tour the county jail, county courthouse and visit several law firms each week with a distinct area of practice.

Apprenticeship

Apprenticeship is an instructional strategy that is appropriate for students, ages 16 and older and is one of the oldest methods of career preparation. Apprenticeships are industry-driven education and career training programs based on recognized industry standards. It is a strategy used by employers to address current and projected employment needs. This program is a partnership among business, industry, government, parents and youth apprentices.

Apprenticeship is a system of skilled occupational training that combines practical work experiences with related academic and technical instruction. An apprentice works on the job for an employer and is taught and supervised by an experienced person in the chosen occupation. The preplanned progressively challenging work-based learning experience usually extends two to four years. The apprentice must successfully complete related instruction chosen by the employer. The apprentice is periodically evaluated and granted wage increases for satisfactory progress. Upon completion of the work progress and the related instruction, the apprentice is skilled and knowledgeable and will receive certification as a journeyman in the field.

Business/Industry Fieldtrips

A Business/Industry field trip is a work based learning opportunity for normally a group of students accompanied by a certified teacher. The field trip allows students to observe, ask questions and learn from the experience of being on an actual worksite. Business/Industry Field Trips extends the learning environment beyond the school building, thus emphasizing the relationship between school and work.

Work-Based Learning Groups

A great way for students from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to learn about a variety of careers is through work-based learning groups. The groups expose students to specialty areas within a general career field. The group meets weekly for approximately 10 weeks at different locations. Most work-based learning groups do not allow for hands-on training but do allow students to decide in which area they might like to complete a one-on-one internship in the future. The groups meet one day per week usually from 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM. On select days, group times may vary.

A list of current work-based learning groups that we offer are:

Law Group

Students will visit the courthouse and various law firms to hear from judges, prosecutors and attorneys from a variety of specialty areas. Students will also tour the Mecklenburg County Jail and Charlotte School of Law. Group topics include the judicial process, immigration law, sports law, corporate law, civil litigation, white collar crime, medical malpractice law, and family law.

Engineering Group

Students will learn about the various areas of engineering. The areas of civil, mechanical, electrical, computer, biomedical and structural engineering are the focus of this work-based learning group. Participating companies may include Flextronics, Charlotte Department of Transportation, Duke Energy, Joe Gibbs Racing Team, Optima Engineering, and Lane Construction. Students will also visit UNCC to learn more about various engineering programs.

Health Science Group

There are a multitude of careers in the health science field. Students may hear from a plastic surgeon, dermatologist, physical therapist, pediatrician, radiologist, veterinarian, OB-GYN, psychiatrist, nurses and other medical professionals in a variety of specialty areas.

Hospitality and Tourism Group

Students learn about the various areas of hospitality and tourism field. Students will visit many hospitality and tourism sites and learn about career opportunities. Sites may include Time Warner Arena, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Charlotte Convention Center, NASCAR, Great Wolf Lodge, Johnson and Wales University, and Charlotte Douglas Airport to name a few.

Please contact your school's Career Development Coordinator if you are interested in participating in a group internship.

Cooperative Education

Cooperative education (a.k.a. COOP or work-study) is a method of instruction for students, 16 and older, where technical classroom instruction is combined with paid employment directly related to the classroom instruction. Cooperative education programs are designed to give on-the-job advanced skills training in a chosen CTE pathway.

Internships

Internships are a powerful form of work based learning involving structured and meaningful work experiences with responsibility and accountability. Internships should challenge students to apply and build on their academic, technical and employability skills. Internships can be paid or unpaid.

CMS students who are interested in exploring internships should fill the online application below.

Please contact your school's Career Development Coordinator (CDC) for additional information on other work-based learning opportunities.

Internship

CTE is committed to providing work-ready students the opportunity to apply their skills. An internship provides work-based learning opportunities for high school students to have hands-on experiences in areas of academic or career interests prior to college or post-secondary training. In addition, an internship helps students obtain a more realistic view of a career area, make better decisions concerning post-secondary education, gain experience and develop contacts that may help them when applying for college programs or scholarships.

Receiving Academic Credit

Students participating in an internship will earn 1 CTE internship unit of credit. In order to receive internship credit, a student must complete a total of 135 internship hours. Students are able to complete additional internships before they graduate; but only one CTE internship unit may be counted as a general elective credit toward graduation. The grade and credit becomes part of the student’s permanent high school transcript, but does not affect GPA or class rank.

Schedule

The internship schedule is determined by the business sponsor and student. All participants are required to have reliable transportation to and from the internship site(s).

Job Readiness Training

Students must complete the job readiness training prior to starting an internship. Please see your Career Development Coordinator (CDC) for more information.

Internship Application Procedure and Eligibility

To be considered for an internship placement, applications must be received by closing date. All applicants must:

• Be a rising Junior or Senior

• Complete Job Readiness Training

• Student shows progress in classes

• Student attends school regularly

• Student exhibits appropriate behavior

Forms

Please submit the following forms to your CDC.

Student-Parent Agreement.pdf

Intern Recommendation Form.pdf

Students must submit 2 Intern Recommendation Forms

Questions?

Please contact the Career Development Coordinator (CDC) at your school for internship opportunities and if you have additional questions.

Job Shadowing

Job shadowing is a career exploration activity that offers students the opportunity to spend time with a career professional currently working in their career field of interest. Job shadowing offers a chance to see what it’s actually like working in a specific job. Not only do students get to observe the day-to-day activities of someone in the current workforce, they also get a chance to have their questions answered.

Mentoring

A mentorship typically involves pairing a student (mentee or protégé) with professional individual that have expertise in a particular industry with the intent of supporting student learning and development. Mentors may critique student work, offer guidance on school projects, answer questions, or act as a resource to students interested in pursuing a similar career occupation.

Currently, CMS partners with the ACE Mentor Program. The ACE Mentor Program of Charlotte is an after-school program for high school young people interested in exploring career opportunities in architecture, construction and engineering.

The ACE Mentor program is currently serving over 150 students with teams at the following high schools: East Mecklenburg, Hopewell, Myers Park and Ardrey Kell. ACE Mentor Program also has an uptown program at CPCC. The Uptown Charlotte ACE program will not be affiliated with any specific school; and will be open to all students.

Through office tours, hands-on activities and field trips, the program introduces students to the industry’s various disciplines. Under the mentorship of over sixty local industry professionals, students work in teams on projects that simulate “real-life” situations.

In addition to the after-school program, ACE also supports our students throughout the summer months. Through our partnership with the Mayor’s Youth Employment Program (MYEP), ACE is able to provide a number of summer internships. This allows hands-on, real-life career experiences to our students preparing them for entry into the job market.

The ACE Mentor Program can help jump start your career in the Architecture, Construction and Engineering Industries!

To find out more about ACE Mentor Program of Charlotte and to register visit ...

http://www.acementor.org/students/new-student-registration/

School-Based Enterprise

A school-based enterprise is a replication or actual business/industry conducted by a school. School-based enterprises typically engage students in all aspects of operation and management of a business that may involve the sale of goods and/or services for use by others. It is a work based learning experience that provides direct links between students, their curriculum and the world of work.

Service Learning

Service learning is a work-based learning strategy that combines community service with career and academic learning goals. Students perform volunteer service to public and non-profit agencies, as well as to civic, charitable, and governmental organizations in the local community.