Tag: Apprenticeship

March 29, 2024

Impact of Stipends

Nelson packs meals at Suya Joint in Nubian Square Photo Credit: Stefanie Belnavis @thedianneproject
Nelson packs meals at Suya Joint in Nubian Square.  Photo Credit: Stefanie Belnavis @thedianneproject

Apprentice Learning’s programs consistently deepen the link between school and career possibilities using hands-on learning in the workplace. An integral part of the school day, Apprenticeships drive home the connection between career and academic success for eighth grade students. This year, a $200 stipend augments the importance of successfully practicing skills and earning power. 

In our five partner schools, each of our 192 apprentices in our six preparatory sessions and six workplace sessions work towards earning a full stipend for attendance, punctuality and the practice of essential skills such as communication, self-presentation and completion of their first resume. Angel notes, “The money was on my mind.” The stipend amplifies the experience to feel like a real world experience. 

Tasmin 2023 Apprentice, echoes this feeling, “I practiced being work ready by doing my work and always going to school on Thursdays. I  was invested in the training and development programs that focus on building workplace readiness skills. I liked the workshops that cover essential topics like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.”  

What impact have stipends had on Apprenticeships?

  1. After a dip in the Covid years, Fall 2023 attendance has improved to 87% prep sessions and to 88% in workplace-based learning compared to Spring 2023 attendance of 79% and 84% respectively. This contributes to our schools’ attendance improvement strategies. 
  2. Families are excited to learn that their child is eligible for a paid stipend. Often this is an eighth grade student’s first paid experience and an opportunity to introduce savings and budgeting.
  3. Earning one’s first “check” is a memorable moment and fills youth with pride and a sense of competence and self-efficacy.

Funding partners from the Office for Workforce Development, the Office for Youth Engagement and Advancement, Jinny Chalmers Fund, and Someone Else’s Child Foundation have supported this effort, launching the City’s youngest workers into a rich array of summer and school year employment opportunities that will build their career interests throughout high school and beyond.

We are extraordinarily grateful for this deep investment in launching youth into the workforce. In 2023, the City made an unprecedented $18.7M investment in youth jobs, the largest in Boston’s history. Their website notes that funding supported 5,000 youth jobs with local nonprofits and 2,000 City based jobs, making the City of Boston the largest local employer for youth jobs.

October 23, 2023

Event Recap: Future of Work

“Future of Work: Implications of Supreme Court Decisions on the Talent Pipeline”
October 18, 2023

“This is the power of gathering: it inspires us, delightfully, to be more hopeful, more joyful, more thoughtful: in a word, more alive.”
Alice Waters

On October 18th,  Apprentice Learning hosted our annual Fall Future of Work panel. This year’s topic: Implications of Supreme Court Decisions on the Talent Pipeline, inspired us to be intentional and diligent in our efforts to increase and nurture workplace diversity. Along with our panelists, we formed a collective think tank. We hoped that these conversations resonated and will continue within your spheres of influence.  You can listen to the full panel or download the mp3 to listen on the go.

Moderated by American Student Assistance’s (ASA) Philanthropy Program Manager Jing Cox-Orrell, this panel discussion held on the 36th floor of GMO’s gorgeous office included Mellissa Gallagher (Engagement and Talent Acquisition Lead of GMO), Secretary Lauren Jones (Labor and Workforce Development, Commonwealth of Massachusetts), Su Joun (Principal, Diversity @ Workplace Consulting Group), Dr. Richard O’Bryant (Director, The John D. O’Bryant African-American Institute of Northeastern University) and Madeliene Rodriguez (Partner, Co-chair, Education Industry, Foley Hoag LLP). The panelists shared their insights and suggestions with regard to recruiting, nurturing, and retaining talent in light of the Supreme Court’s recent decision on Affirmative Action. They fielded questions from the moderator and audience about innovative opportunities, messaging and challenges. 

 Some key take-aways:

  • There is no explicit ruling that affects DEI efforts in the workplace.
  • There are multiple career pathways that employers should utilize in order to recruit, retain, and nurture talent. Some of them can begin during elementary and middle school.  
  • There are innovation pathways and early college opportunities available in high schools across the Commonwealth. 
  • We need a combination of businesses, academia, and philanthropy in order to best prepare young people for the future. 
  • We should redirect our energy to the workplaces that care about and are making an effort with DBEI work because there’s a lot that can be done there. 

One salient story related to the necessity of Apprentice Learning was relayed by panelist Su Joun.  When her husband was in eighth grade, his class was visited by a lawyer. Her husband hadn’t thought of college, let alone a career in law. This visit was a launch pad for him…He is now a judge. For Apprentice Learning, this capsulizes and makes real our deep belief that when young people can see an array of options for their future, they are better able to opt in to possibilities that augment the world.

When Secretary Jones informed us that 75% of current Boston Public School students are students of color, Dr. O’Bryant reminded us that young people need adults at every step along their pathway who can and do reaffirm their value. Melissa Gallagher noted that workplaces thrive when we have “different voices, different perspectives”. She stated that there are improved and richer conversations when more voices are in the room.

An audience member asked what advice panelists would give young people as they begin to navigate the world. Panelist Madeleine Rodriguez said, “Find the thing that makes you curious, ask endless questions. Find your genius.”  Dr. O’Bryant said, “Vote and diversify your experiences.”  Su Joun said, “When someone tells you you can be anything, tell them, ‘Show me.'” Another piece of advice from Su that resonated was the necessity of networking beyond your network. This is advice we can all use, I’m sure. 

If you are interested in engaging with Apprentice Learning or hearing more about our opportunities, please reach out to Michele Horn. You can learn more by watching this brief Intro to Apprentice Learning.

We would like to thank Jing Cox-Orrell, Su Joun, Dr. Richard O’Bryant, Melissa Gallagher, Madeleine Rodriguez, and Secretary Lauren Jones. Additionally, we would like to express our deep appreciation to GMO (One of our worksite partners) for generously hosting our panel in their lovely office. 

January 23, 2015

Taking Things Seriously? Please Do!

The popular press has reams of articles about how not to take things too seriously. In our business working with middle school students, sometimes, we have the opposite problem.

This is the midpoint of the school year—and the time when students edge up to the point of no return. Their toes are on the precipice of failing 8th grade. Warning notices go home this week that say ‘If the student cannot improve, completion of summer school will be required before the student may advance to high school. Staying back in 8th grade. That’s not good.

At home and at school, conversations with the student might go something like this, ”Why aren’t you taking this seriously?” At this point, not taking school—and their academic future—seriously what can we do to disrupt this downward spiral? All too often, the adults are puzzled and frustrated by this disengagement.

What does it take to create a seriousness of purpose for a student who is off track? What would spark their engagement? Many students have stellar qualities: they are organized, have strong interpersonal skills, many are punctual and reliable. But without the engagement engine these attributes are sleepers.

For a student relegated to spend five weeks from 8 am to 2 pm in a summer school classroom, what could make the experience worthwhile and valuable?
We see Apprentices who are engaged in their preparation for work and have a very high degree of seriousness. What’s the secret sauce?

Kurt Hahn, founder of the Outward Bound movement once said,
” …There are three ways of trying to win the young. There is persuasion. There is compulsion and there is attraction. You can preach at them; that is a hook without a worm. You can say, “you must volunteer.” That is the devil. And you can tell them, “you are needed” that hardly ever fails.”

Apprenticeships create a place in the world for students to feel needed. They are an invitation to work alongside and join an effort to be of service. Here’s what the Apprentices have to say,

“When my boss taught me how to check people out, I was so excited. I had really wanted to do it. It taught me how to operate a cash register and give people the correct amount of change. It was fun and helped me use my math skills in the ‘Real World’.” – Kaya, Apprentice at Boing! Toy Shop

This prepares us (8th graders) for high school life, not just high school but life itself. I came in here scared is worried—would anyone like me? Is everything gonna go by fast? Slow? It’s worth it because you have a good time and learn skills. I don’t think there was a single dull moment. We have a good time and I learned lots of useful skills. —Yanisa, Apprentice at Thrift Shop of Boston.

As educators, our charge is to create authentic learning experiences that provide a compelling reason for students to take their learning seriously. It’s high stakes learning with clear purpose: to be needed. Ideally, students understand that learning math can mean they will be useful in the world.

September 8, 2013

What the Job Creators Want

I came across an article by Evan Burfield in the Huffington Post. It was written a year ago and it still resonates, especially as Apprentice Learning begins Year 2. This week I am reaching out to businesses and organizations to identify placements for Apprentices from two Boston Public Schools, the Mission Hill School and the Boston Teachers Union School.

In securing Apprentice placements,  it has been the entrepreneurs who have been the most open to mentoring young adolescents and teaching them about the world of work. Many want to support the young people in the educational pathway. See our Partners Page for a full listing.

Burfield’s article explains another aspect of those willing to invest precious time with 8th graders. It is the future: as Byfield states, “Startups need people who are constantly figuring things out on their own, learning from their peers, and reaching out to mentors for guidance rather than rote instruction. It’s not about what they know, it’s how they learn, think, and communicate.” These are precisely the skills Apprentices practice beforehand and on the job. The newest jobs require flexible thinking and broader skill sets.  And many of these skills are best learned and practiced outside of the classroom.

This skill set must be good for business.  Entrepreneurs who launched within the last five years are leading the way, part of the fast growing job sector in our new economy. These folks are the job creators.  And they are wisely investing in the next generation of people who can get things done.

November 5, 2012

The Skills Gap: But What Skills?

What kind of preparation do we need for our next generation workforce? In our beta culture, can  we even predict what jobs will look like?  Tim Brown, CEO and President of IDEO encourages a broader focus on education–one that includes apprenticeships. Many of the skills needed for technology, engineering, and entrepreneurship will require training up–meaning that specific skill acquisition happens prior to hiring. Apprenticeships offer an opportunity for workers to hone the highly transferrable soft skills like problem solving, critical thinking and entrepreneurial skills to a workplace culture. Check out his article:

http://designthinking.ideo.com/?p=644

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