Photo by Terry Georgia
Susan Scott (standing), Business Community Coordinator for the Thompson School District, leads a popular Information Night about the Pathfinder Work-Based Learning program.

By Terry Georgia
The Surveyor

Larimer County and the Thompson Valley School District are seeing growing interest in their programs to promote work-based learning. On a recent Thursday evening Susan Scott counted 95 students and parents in the room, a far bigger crowd than she’d ever had before at an Information Night on Work-Based Learning. As the Business Community Coordinator for the Thompson School District, Scott was thrilled to see so many students interested in hearing more about the Pathfinder Work-Based Learning program which is designed to match students with businesses and organizations in search of reliable employees.

Larimer County Work-Based Learning programs begin in elementary schools with guest speakers, career fairs and other activities that expose young students to different work and career opportunities. The program expands in middle schools to include experiences such as industry tours and job shadowing.

The program kicks into high gear for high school students by adding the option to take a Business Work Experience Course as well as offering opportunities to apply for summer jobs, internships and paid apprenticeships.

The Information Night event in February featured an overview of the work-based learning program, a panel discussion by students who are already participating in the program and presentations by area businesses looking to recruit applicants.

The student presentations were captivating. Berthoud High School senior, Ruegg, spoke eloquently about two years as a Computer Support Tech Apprentice for the Thompson School District. The experience has taught Ruegg valuable IT skills, “I feel like I can take apart any Chrome Book and put it back together!” as well as people skills. Having to provide real-world customer service to teachers, administrators and staff in the district has also given Ruegg a huge boost in confidence and communication skills. With new and improved abilities Ruegg “will absolutely pursue a career in computers and information technology.”

Amber Wharton, the Family and Consumer Sciences Educator at Berthoud High School, is enthusiastic about work-based learning opportunities for high school students, especially creating access to internships and apprenticeships. “Whether students are college bound or headed straight to the workforce, getting on-the-job experience through an internship or apprenticeship can be so beneficial to a student’s future,” explained Wharton, “the ability to experience an actual career rather than a summer job [is] much more applicable to students’ futures. Another benefit is that students are able to work during the school day and do not have to wait to work on the weekends or evenings. This opens up time to do homework or participate in sports. Apprenticeships and internships also have guaranteed hours that students work, which means a steady income. A random food service or retail job may have limited hours that a student can work and hours may not be guaranteed.”

Wharton also pointed out that apprentice positions allow students to experience a career long before committing to it in college. “For example,” she explained, “if someone wants to be a teacher, they do not get into the classroom until at least their junior year of college. So, if the student changes their mind at that point, think of all the time and money wasted. If a student has the opportunity to experience the career before going to college, they will have more of an idea if that is the right path for them.”

Students’ perspective — Students already working as apprentices in the program are equally as enthusiastic about the work-based learning opportunities they’ve undertaken. Kate Guzman, a senior at Berthoud High School, works with Thompson Valley Schools as a Future Education apprentice. She’s learning first-hand what it’s like to work in an elementary classroom several days a week while she juggles school, cheerleading, homework, another job and social activities. She enthusiastically endorses the work-based learning model. “I honestly would 1,000% recommend the work-based learned program,” she said, “You meet people who care for you and want to watch you succeed. You get to build relationships with people in the field you want to work in.” Recently Guzman and a few other apprentices got letters of recommendation from the governor of Colorado, which she said was amazing.

Work-based learning provides real jobs with real responsibilities and students sometimes have to reprioritize their schedules to ensure they can make the commitment without jeopardizing their studies or sacrificing all of their free time. “One challenging part is scheduling,” Guzman admitted, “I have to figure out when to be a teenager.” The students and employers work closely with counselors to ensure participants have time to enjoy life outside of school and work.

Employers benefit too — Employers also benefit from hiring interns and apprentices because they can recruit and train students for positions they need filled, while increasing their employee retention rate. Students who intern or apprentice with a company are more likely to be hired full time after graduation over those with no previous experience.
Supervisor of Aquatics for the Berthoud Recreation Center (rec), Luke Diede, attended the Information Night Work-Based Learning event as an employer. He spoke to the students about the opportunities available for employment at the rec center, specifically the need for lifeguards. “No experience necessary,” he told the students, “we’ll do all the training you need.” Many students stopped by his booth after the event to get more information and fill out applications.

Xello: A versatile resource for students — Students in the district are encouraged to sign up for a district-approved software portal called Xello, to help them explore job and career options. Xello offers assessment tools to determine aptitude and interest in various fields as well as ways to explore various jobs and career paths. The system also provides extensive local job listings. Students can build a resume and use the site to search and apply for summer jobs, internships, paid inter ships and paid apprenticeships.

Wharton warns that students should sign up soon for these opportunities. “The deadlines vary,” she said of the job openings, “some positions are being posted now for summer and fall so students who are interested should check out Xello and make sure their profile/resumes are up to date to make it easier to apply when a position is posted.” If a student is considering an apprenticeship, Wharton says there are a few more qualifications that need to be met. “They need to be on track for graduation, meaning they have room in their schedule for work-based learning “electives.” Once a student applies for a position, I work with the counselor to make sure they are eligible for the program.”

For more information about what opportunities may be available for summer jobs as well as next year’s internships and apprenticeships, students are encouraged to contact school counselors or read more about the Pathfinder Work-Based Learning program on the Thompson School District website: https://www.thompsonschools.org/wbl.

Berthoud High School students and parents can contact Amber Wharton directly at: [email protected]