School-to-Career and the Apex Business Alliance
(November 5, 2010)
Contact: Diane Cadavid, dcadavid@wcpss.net
Joyce Grainger, Apex Business Alliance Chairperson
Diane Cadavid, Career Development Coordinator
What is School-to-Career?
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It’s a county-wide initiative, philosophy, and method of delivering curriculum to students within the Standard Course of Study.
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Links classroom learning to real-world activities and experiences. STC helps make learning relevant.
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STC motivates students to excel academically in school while making wise career choices. It connects teachers and students to community resources.
School-to-Career & Business Alliance
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Business Alliances are the mechanism for STC.
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School-to-Career Involves:
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Teachers – who work to integrate relevance into the core curriculum and academic rigor throughout all classes.
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Business alliance members – who work at the school level to serve as a resource for teachers and administrators to support STC activities.
What is a Business Alliance?
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It's a collaborative partnership between community business leaders and educators at the middle and high schools.
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Apex Business Alliance brings together Apex Middle, Lufkin Road Middle, Salem Middle, Apex High School, and area businesses.
Purpose of the Business Alliance?
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To provide support and workplace realities for teachers and students and to be a catalyst for engaging businesses to prepare all students to be career focused and globally competitive.
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The career and life experience of business leaders provide students the relevancy between education and future careers.
Apex Business Alliance & School Improvement Plan (SIP)
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The ABA meets monthly to develop action steps towards meeting the goals aligned with the School Improvement Plan (SIP).
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Career-based alliance activities include:
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Career Fairs / Guest Speakers
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Practice Job Interviews / Resume Reviews
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Job Shadow Host / Internship Sponsors
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Business Ethics Discussions / Business Tours
Apex Business Alliance & Apex High School
Specific activities the ABA is involved with at AHS are:
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Career Connections;
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Health Science Service Project;
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Culinary Arts Herb Garden;
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Job Shadow Host;
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Class Presentations / Demonstrations;
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Business Spotlight; and
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Assistance within CTE program areas – Automotive Tech, Construction Tech, Health Sciences, & Culinary Arts.
Career Technical Education
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Career Technical Education (CTE) is an array of elective courses and programs that prepare students to succeed in virtually any industry.
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CTE provides students:
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Elective credit towards “Future Ready” graduation requirements.
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Academic subject matter taught with relevance to the real world.
Employability skills, from job-related skills to workplace ethics.
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Career pathways that link secondary and postsecondary education.
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Training that leads to high-skill, high-wage, high-demand occupations.
Career Technical Education (CTE) at Apex High School (AHS)
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CTE is for ALL students – helping them to become globally competitive.
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Apex High School offers the following program areas in CTE:
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Business & Information Technology;
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Family & Consumer Science;
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Health Occupations;
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Marketing; and
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Trade & Industrial Education.