OUR MISSION
Helping Students Navigate Their Future
We help students make decisions informed by real-world experience regarding their career and education goals.
Our mission is to promote K-16 career education and to assist in preparing youth for the demands of today’s workplace. The River East School to Career Partnership brings together schools, businesses, and organizations to create exciting career exploration opportunities for students.
A History of Helping Students
Since its founding over 20 years ago, River East School to Career has worked to educate and inspire students about career and educational opportunities. We help them navigate their futures. In the past five years, 1,500 students have participated in School-To-Career activities.
As our program has grown, so have the number of school systems that we assist. Today, we serve nine different high schools within Hampden, Hampshire and Worcester Counties and provide their students with relevant activities to prepare them for opportunities once they graduate.
School-to-Career emerged from the Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993 and the Federal School to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994. In order to carry out School-to-Career policies and programming, local School-to-Career Partnerships have been formed in collaboration with MassHire workforce boards across Massachusetts.
RIVER EAST MILESTONES
300
BUSINESSES
More than 300 businesses and organizations have worked with us to provide jobs, internships, job experiences for students.
1,500
STUDENTS
In the past five years, over 1,500 students have participated in School-to-Career activities.
9
HIGH SCHOOLS
River East serves nine different high schools within Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester Counties.
Program Snapshot
Worksite Tours
Students tour a worksite to gain insight into the work environment.
Conduct mock job interviews with students.
Talk to students about workplace requirements – attendance, dress, punctuality, teamwork, communication and job-specific skills, etc.
Workplace Readiness Training
Job Shadowing
Students visit a professional employed in his/her career interest area to observe the workplace environment.
Career Day Presentations
Career Day presenters are grouped with other presenters according to the career cluster that corresponds with his/her occupation. Each presenter shares information about their specific occupation with students.
Work-based Mentorships
The student is paired with a business/mentor that can offer work experience to the student in his/her chosen career area. Student progress is assessed through the Massachusetts Work-Based Learning Plan.
Hot Jobs 4 U
Hot jobs 4 U delivers business professionals to the classroom. The goal of this event is to provide students with information regarding in-demand professions, emerging job titles, and industry trends in various fields.
School-to-Career Scholarships
School-to-Career Scholarships for Career Development is part of this organization’s broader focus of helping to prepare our future workforce for success in the 21st-century workplace. It is designed to support the career pursuits and goals of the recipient. It is awarded to eligible students who use school-based and work-based career education resources and demonstrate authenticity, insight, and commitment toward the development of their future career.
Annual Recognition Awards
The Annual Recognition Program is our signature event that spotlights outstanding Work-Based Learning student-mentor teams, business champions, and scholarship recipients. It is a celebration of the business and education partnerships that are helping students prepare for their future careers. This inspiring event provides a venue for students, educators, and business partners to share their stories about the powerful impact of Work-Based-Learning experiences as well as other school-to-career activities.
Sponsorships
Make a donation to support student-centered programs. Opportunities are available to sponsor the Annual Recognition Program, Scholarship for Career Development, and career exploration events.