February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month.
Blue River Career Programs offers multiple educational options to students in Shelby County. Here is a look at one of its programs.
Work Based Learning (WBL) is a career and technical education course designed to provide opportunities for students to explore their career choice that require additional degrees of certification following high school.
The emphasis of the experience is on applying skills developed through instruction and learning new career competencies at the internship site.
Two types of internships are available, paid and non-paid.
Students who choose a paid internship have a pathway that has given them a certification or special training that allows students to be paid. Students average $17 per hour while in high school and, most importantly, gain real life work experience.
Students who choose the non-paid internship have an incredible opportunity to observe what their career will be like and gain knowledge and experience before they pursue their post-secondary education.
An example of a non-paid internship would be a student with a medical pathway interning at a hospital. Locally, Major Health Partners has teamed up with Blue River Career Center Work Based Learning program and offers an incredible internship for students to go through rotation of departments.
Other examples of non-paid internship that students have been involved in include veterinarian, criminal justice, business, dental, cosmetology, firefighting, marketing, teaching, social services, and the list goes on.
Work Based Learning allows a senior in high school to bridge the gap of high school to the true world of work.
Student spotlight: Mia Garthwaite
I have had the privilege of getting to know Mia Garthwaite as her Work Based Learning Program instructor and am impressed with the maturity and confidence she presents in her words and actions.
Mia's disposition and demeanor with her classmates, internship mentors, patients, and myself make her a pleasure to work with.
I personally recognize Mia for her ambition, passion, and determination. I am confident that with her positive attitude, willingness to serve others, and God given talents she will be successful in achieving her goal to be a top-notch dentist.
Mia is incredibly intelligent, goal driven and hardworking. What makes her my outstanding student is she cares about others and is willing to serve.
The Shelby County Post is a digital newspaper producing news, sports, obituaries and more without a pay wall or subscription needed.
