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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Businesses Tap Into Schools To Get Future Employees

“When am I going to use this?” Now that small learning communities have launched at Monroe High School, teachers will likely no longer be asked this question. That’s because, in small learning communities, not only are students grouped into fields such as engineering, art and hospitality that interest them most, they also have the opportunity to work directly with related businesses to develop real world professional skills. “It makes school more rigorous and more relevant by relating it to a career field,” Monroe High School small learning community coordinator Nikki Siercks said. According to Siercks, the implementation of SLCs at Monroe has evolved over the years, but the 2007-08 school year, which began in July, will mark the first full year they’ve been in effect at the Sepulveda based school. In addition to SLCs in engineering and design; arts, media and entertainment; and hospitality, tourism and recreation; Monroe groups students into the education and public service fields. “Companies come in and give speeches talking about what jobs they have and what it’s like working at those companies,” engineering and design teacher Lewie Schappelear said. “We also have internships, so kids can actually get some hands on experiences as to what those careers are really like. Those internships may turn into paid jobs.” Monroe High School seniors Carlos Anacta and Jos & #233; Sanchez are both in the engineering and design SLC. They are currently working as interns at Syncro Aviation in Van Nuys. “The two are helping with computer design and architectural design on how to design seats and furniture on the computer,” Syncro owner, president and CEO Barbara Cesar explained. “Another task is scheduling, how we can utilize the best new computer program for scheduling. There’s a wealth of opportunity.” Anacta, 17, would like to be a video game designer one day. He says the work he is doing at Syncro will help put him on that career path. Aerospace “designs are similar to what people use when they make video games,” he said. Sanchez, 18, would like to pursue interior design as a profession. “I’m sure interior design in airplanes will lead me to other stuff,” he said. Trips to businesses As seniors, Sanchez and Anacta have spent most of their high school career in a traditional classroom setting, but for Monroe freshmen, high school will be an entirely different experience. Throughout ninth grade, they will have the opportunity to explore which small learning community suits them. From 10th grade on, they will remain in the community of their choice. “In 10th grade, students take trips to at least four businesses,” Siercks explained. “Between 10th and 11th grade, selected students are given internships. In 11th grade, students go one day a week for four hours a day to a business of choice that best aligns with their interests. Then, in 11th and 12th grade, businesses provide paid internships.” And that’s not all, according to Schappelear. Students also practice interviewing. “A big part of getting a job is communication skills,” he said. “It’s not just a technology program. The kids are also going to do mock interviews. This is a really important thing in terms of getting our students ready for success.” In the classroom, Monroe teachers strive to make sure what students learn in the classroom correlates with industry practices. “We find out what software they use,” Schappelear said, “what kind of machines they work on. If we don’t have something at school, we have the companies that can help us.” While students and teachers benefit from collaborating with businesses, business owners also have something to gain from the collaborative. “We really need to have skilled employees working in the aerospace industry. Early interest The only way we can get it is having students in the high school/college level getting interested in aerospace,” said Steve Cormier, CEO of Global Aerospace Technology Corp. in Chatsworth. Monroe students recently toured the company, which has six openings for youth interested in working as quality inspectors and engineers as well as in fabrication, purchasing and planning and machinery. Cormier estimates that the average age of skilled aerospace employees is between 50 and 60. “I was talking to one of my business associates and we were both saying, ‘what are we going to do in five, 10 years? We’re going to have to move out of California because we’re not getting skilled employees.” By exposing teens to the industry, that could change. Cesar of Syncro Aviation believes that the teens she’s working with now are an asset because of their technical savvy. “They’re helping because so many kids are so computer literate,” she said. Even teens who aren’t particularly drawn to aerospace may find that they are suited for the field in some capacity. “There’s every type of position in aviation and aerospace,” Cesar said. “We need accountants, bookkeepers, receptionists, people in design and engineering We need electricians. We need people who could become aircraft mechanics or avionics specialists. There’s things like sales, administrative. Every business has different facets that they need in order to stay in business, financial departments, sales departments, PR departments.” It’s the hope of the Monroe staff that students will continue the relationships they have formed with local business during college and beyond. Siercks, for one, believes that exposing them to numerous career pathways early on will prevent them from making costly mistakes later. “They don’t have to go to college and graduate with a degree they’re never going to use. They’re seeing actual work and learning what kind of post-secondary education they’re going to need.”

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