Center for Promise Report Features Southeast Tech and CTE Academy Collaboration to Develop Youth Workforce

 
The report, titled “Creating Sustainable Career Pathways for Disconnected Youth,” is authored by Dr. Jonathan Zaff, executive director of the Center for Promise who also serves as a research associate professor for Boston University’s School of Education.A new report by the Center for Promise, a research division of America’s Promise Alliance, features an innovative collaboration between Southeast Tech and the Sioux Falls School District’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Academy designed to increase access to apprenticeships, internships and career training for area youth. The partnership is funded through a grant provided by the Citi Foundation’s Youth Workforce Fund.

In the report, Zaff examines the impact of the CTE Academy’s Career Coach and Internship Coordinator, two specialized positions designed to provide district-wide programming on youth workforce development. The positions were created thanks to the Citi Foundation’s grant.

“The Career coach is positioned to work with high schools across the district to identify those students who lack a plan for after high school based on various academic and career indicators … the Internship Coordinator builds relationships between education and industry with the goal of providing students access to meaningful work-based learning opportunities and ensuring that these experiences align with industry demand,” the report said. “Together, these key individuals help young people succeed by operating across the work-based learning system, uniting to provide career exploration, internship and job shadowing, on-the-job training opportunities, financial awareness, interviewing, resume/cover letter and soft skill training, application and job search assistance, and potential funding for higher education.”

Last year, more than 200 students were served by these positions.

Read the full report from the Center for Promise.