Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8
Preparing today's youth for tomorrow's responsibilities.
Experiences like internships, job shadows, mentorships, and site visits give students better perspective on the value of academics and its application to the ‘real world’. These connections allow students to develop insight about what they like and do not like within the careers they are exploring. Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8 is committed to collaborate with community and industry partners to provide students opportunities for work-based learning in real-world settings. Colorado's labor market is evolving faster than ever. Students and job seekers are engaging in learning experience to help them develop advanced and adaptable skillsets that are necessary to compete in our complex global marketplace. While not a new concept, education is taking more deliberate measures in partnering with business and industry to best support student learning to prepare them for their career potential.
Students at Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8 participate in a aptitude/interest inventory to support them identifying their natural skills and abilities and how they relate to the world of work. Our district participates with the Pikes Peak Business and Education Alliance (PPBEA). This alliance consists of 19 school districts and multiple charter schools in El Paso and Teller County, aligned to work together to develop more work-based learning opportunities for students. These opportunities include apprenticeships, internships, job shadows, site visits, career panels, classroom presentations, and more! It is proven that work based learning opportunities positively encourage students to graduate from high school, develop a growth mindset, and increase their lifetime earning potential. Win, win, win!
WHAT IS A...
MENTORShiP
A great way to receive guidance from a professional in industry. This relationship is built to allow professionals to share their knowledge and collaborate to develop a track that allow for students to refine their potential education and professional path. The mentor and student meet on a consistent basis: sometimes in the classroom, or in industry or at a postsecondary institution.
job shadow
A student visits and industry they may be interested in pursuing a career in. The visit is generally a 2-3 hour opportunity that may be done in solidarity or over multiple days. This experience is designed to give students deeper insight into a trade. Students may follow one employee or split the job shadow experience so that they follow multiple employees who serve in different capacities within the business. A student does not usually work during this experience.
intership
An internship is a real-world opportunity to expose students to the requirements, the work environment, as well as behavioral expectations to succeed on the job within industry. These work experiences are not expected to provide formal training, but parallel training students receive in school. Students are able to receive credit at Fountain-Fort Carson High School for their participation in a 60-hour or 120-hour internship.
WORK-BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
- What is the Pikes Peak Business & Education Alliance (PPBEA)?
- The PPBEA Helps Students Learn About Careers
- The PPBEA Helps Business & Industry Develop Their Talent Pipeline
- Who Can Register with the PPBEA
- WBL Opportunities at FFC8
- Job Opportunities
