Career Links will enhance the NFTE grades 6 - 9 Exploring Careers curriculum by introducing students to jobs that require a four-year college education or graduate degree, jobs they could enter right after high school, and jobs that require a two-year post-secondary education.
According to research few middle schools adequately address the career development of students in at-risk environments despite evidence to indicate that early interventions can enhance academic performance, facilitate high school completion, and encourage postsecondary education. Career exploration enhances the development of literacy, critical thinking, technology, and math skills, areas where lower-income children lag behind those from more affluent areas.
Career Links will inform 15 economically disadvantaged students from NFTE Exploring Careers classes in Yonkers, NY and Stamford, CT about 21st Century jobs that lead to financially independent futures. Emphasis will be placed on careers in high growth industries in the region including health, hospitality, retail and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). The program will include interest inventories, field trips, career days, college visits, and parent and community involvement.
By working to keep at-risk students engaged in their school work, NFTE spurs its participants to graduate high school and dare to dream of a brighter future. Whether they pursue higher education, enter the workforce, or start their own business, NFTE instills an entrepreneurial mindset in young people so they can plan for success. Since 1987 NFTE has worked with almost 500,000 students across the U.S. and around the world.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
