2022/02/09 Council Agenda Packet

OVERVIEW OF EVERETT CAREER LINK PROGRAM ("Program") Since the summer of 2019, Everett Public Schools, the City of Everett, and regional employers have partnered to provide Everett Public School students career connected learning opportunities through the Everett Career Link program. This unique partnership offers students the opportunity to "learn before they earn" by allowing them to work in a specific job environment while earning high school credit. The 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 programs will offer the following options: • Career Link — Exploration provides students opportunity learn about career clusters aligned with their abilities, interests and personalities to formulate academic and career related goals, by way of creating a plan for achieving those goals by leveraging their personalized high school and beyond plan. (Current 8th and 9th Graders) • Career Link — Mentorship provides students opportunity to learn about career clusters with the support of local business mentors aligned with their abilities, interests and personalities to formulate academic and career related goals, by way of creating a plan for achieving those goals by leveraging their high school and beyond plan. (Current loth and nth Graders) • Career Link — Internships serves to link local businesses with emerging local talent for a 90- hour summer internship. The program provides students with the opportunity to "learn before they earn" by working in a specific job or work environment while earning school credit. (Current nth Graders) Further expansion is planned for school year 2021-22 with the inclusion of a career exploration program for elementary students called Career Link - Career Up! High school internships, mentorships, and career exploratory experiences support the economic vitality of the region by providing students with the opportunity to access knowledge of career pathways and concomitantly, providing employers opportunity to address workforce needs by mentoring potential future employees. A critical part of the Everett Career Link Program has been a regional intermediary ("Regional Intermediary"). Having launched a suite of career -connected learning programs, district staff have surfaced the many strengths of, and limitations to, district leadership of such programs. A notable limitation is the capacity of district staff to recruit and prepare employers for career - connected learning programs. The Regional Intermediary is responsible for recruiting and expanding the number of industry and community program partners while working with Everett Public School Staff to ensure a strong fit between the program and employer capacity. The Regional Intermediary will provide Everett Career Link employer host information to transition into the 2021-2022 program. The Alliance will serve as a Regional Intermediary to connect the District with community businesses to support the Program. Briefly stated, the Regional Intermediary is an individual or organization that works closely with school systems, higher education, local business and labor, industry associations, community -based organizations, and local government to secure