By Brianna Quarterman
CF Reporter Intern
To prepare high school students for the work force, area high schools offer a Work Based Learning (WBL) curriculum track to help them experience different career fields, based on a student’s intended career choice.
The program’s goals include helping college-bound students with future course choices, and insuring that the students are more marketable for future jobs.
Chatham County offers WBL programs at all eight high schools with students attending school through 1:15 p.m. Monday through Friday, and then going on to work at their internship position most afternoons as unpaid interns, working approximately 15 hours a week.
One of the key elements of the program is that students learn about a particular industry, but are also gaining an enhanced education through the internship process. This includes instruction and activities in occupational and academic workplace competencies, practical skills and broad instruction.
In order to be admitted into Work Based Learning, the student must be in either 11th or 12th grade, have a defined career goal, and demonstrate a great deal of personal initiative. They must be enrolled in a Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) tract related to the students career goal, have a good attendance and discipline record, obtain three teacher recommendations, have reliable transportation and health insurance, have defined their career pathway, taken three business courses and be on a college preparatory track.
Linda Graham is the WBL Coordinator at Jenkins High School, overseeing the program for the past nine years. Each of Chatham’s high schools has its own coordinator who are part of the CTAE department.
“Here at Jenkins, we have 10 students enrolled in the Work Based Learning program. Each of these students has been placed at a work site based on their careers of interest.
“It is up to the students to find their own internships for their career plans. They then have to set up the times and dates they will be attending their internships.”
Along the way, each step of the internship is approved and overseen by the coordinator.
In addition to working in the community, all WBL students have to complete a portfolio along with several projects. These include Interview Tips, Career Research, Dress for Success and Work Ethics. The projects help the students gain more skill and preparation for their careers.
“From past experiences with students in the program, I do believe they have benefited greatly. I have had several students bring back success reports on what a great experience WBL was for them and how it opened several job opportunities. I highly recommend it to students who are interested in learning outside of the classroom,” said Graham.
Malissa Smith, a senior from Jenkins High School, is an example of student participating in the program this year; she feels she is learning a great deal. “My mom heard about the program and told me to look into it and see what teacher was over the program. The next day, I went to the work based learning coordinator, Mrs. Graham, to see if I met the requirements to get into the program.”
And she’s grateful for the experience.
“I wanted to join Work Based Learning because I really wanted the opportunity to intern at a newspaper to have the experience and learn more about the career I am interested in. Currently I am interning at the Savannah Tribune and what I enjoy most is meeting new people, as well as keeping others informed with what is going on in the community.”
She has attended a press conference and had the opportunity to meet the mayor of Savannah. “I am very excited to have written an article which was published in the upcoming issue of the Savannah Tribune. Once I graduate from high school, I plan to attend Armstrong Atlantic State University and major in mass communications and minor in journalism. By being apart of Work Based Learning, I hope to gain the knowledge and skills for my career, a future journalist, as well as the fundamentals of writing – learning what it takes to write a good story, how to write news stories, what key details to include, and overall how to become a better writer,” she added.
The WBL coordinators meet with the managing supervisor of each intern in their work place, and students complete update reports during the process of their semester as a intern.
The local businesses commit to provide a safe environment, teach the student about the job, and provide objective feedback.
Editor’s Note: Brianna Quarterman, who wrote this story, is a WBL intern this spring at Coastal Empire News, publisher of Coastal Family magazine.
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