FAQ

q: who can participate in work-based learning?

A: The state of South Carolina recognizes ten different types of Work-Based Learning. Some types such as job shadowing, virtual job shadowing, and structured field studies are open to students in any grade at schools willing and able to coordinate these activities. Work-Based Learning experiences that are Career Ready qualifiers are limited to high school students who meet the requirements. My job entails many things, but a major focus is on securing and coordinating internships, apprenticeships, and co-ops for students at Bonds Career Center and its feeder high schools.

Learn more about Work-Based Learning in South Carolina's Work-Based Learning Manual

q: why should my child consider CTE?

Some students plan to go to college after graduation, but, at some point, most people will need a job to support themselves and their families. Greenville County Schools offers many Career and Technical Education programs that teach job skills that are increasingly valuable to Upstate employers. Some of those CTE courses, such as marketing, entrepreneurship, agriculture, and health science are based at our high schools.

Career Centers such as Bonds in Greer offer programs that require intensive training at little or no cost. Many of those programs offer industry certifications and technical skills as well as employability training that includes personal and professional skills that prepare students for the workforce.

Because the Upstate's unemployment rate is so slow, and a large portion of our skilled workers are eligible for retirement, many companies are partnering with Bonds and other career centers to provide on-the-job training for high school students. That experience allows students to "test drive" a career. If the Work-Based Learning confirms their career choices, students have a head start on life after high school. If the experience makes them want to change career paths, students save years of their lives and thousands of dollars pursuing a college degree they won't use.

q: do career center students go to college?

A: In spite of the outdated perception that career centers are places where kids with discipline problems who aren't smart enough for college go, career centers in Greenville County today open up a world of opportunities. Some students earn professional certifications and job experience in their career center program and choose to go straight into the workforce after graduation. Others choose to pursue a two-year or four-year college degree. Some choose both.

Many of our students get the opportunity to have Work-Based Learning experiences at companies offering full-time employment, free college tuition, or tuition reimbursement after graduation. Our job is to prepare students for life after graduation, expose them to their many options, and let them choose their own paths.

q: what is g+?

A: Graduation Plus is a Greenville County Schools initiative through all grade levels to offer students more than a high school diploma. The goal is for students to graduate with a diploma or occupational certificate plus career exploration and readiness activities, college credits, industry certifications, real-world work experience, or several of those options.