Ways to be a Business Partner

Career Exploration

Career Exploration- Here are a list of opportunities for businesses and individuals to share career and life experiences with our students.  Some of these opportunities can be done virtually for those not currently local.

Career Fair: A half day where you represent a business or organization at a table in the gym and students ask you about the business/industry

Job Shadow: A half to full day when a student shadows you at your place of work

Informational Interview/Expert Interview: A student spends 30 min to an hour asking you about your career.

Mock Interview: A student pretends they are applying for a job at your organization. You spend 30 min to an hour helping them practice their interview skills

Resume Critiques: A student shares a resume with you and you spend 30 min to an hour providing them feedback regarding their resume.

Career Speaker: You speak to groups of students about your career or industry. May include being part of a panel presentation or a classroom speaker.

ELOs: Extended Learning Opportunities: You welcome a student to your place of work for a semester while they complete 40 hours "in the real world" helping out. Similar to a traditional internship experience.

Workplace Learning Experiences/Cooperative Work Experiences: Students are hired for part time jobs at your place of work (typically 10 hours a week) and receive academic credit while working.

SPHS Skills Builders: Students in our high school Life Skills Classroom (students with disabilities) are working on skills that will help them find employment after graduation.  They do well with manual, or repetitive type jobs (think food preparation, basic housekeeping, stocking shelves, etc). They travel with an Ed Tech Job Coach and are at each community placements 2-4 hours a week. 

Middle School Career Exploration: Career speakers or site visits with middle school students

Elementary School Community Exploration: Must be a South Portland business for this opportunity- elementary students visit local businesses as they learn about their community

Junior Achievement: JA (www.maine.ja.org) partners with SPSD to provide volunteers who come into our schools to teach lessons connected to financial educaiton, career exploration and entrepreneurship. These can be one day experiences, or a series of financial education classes.  

Click here to sign up to learn more about these opportunities!