The Metro South Connecting Activities Partnership is a collaboration of the City of Brockton Office of Linda Balzotti the Brockton Area Workforce Investment Board, and the Metro South Chamber of Commerce funded by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Connecting Activities Programming is designed to enhance, complement and support other programming in the school and community, so that youth can experience a range of opportunities as they develop college and career readiness throughout their high school years. Internships assist students in making more informed decisions about the education they need to be successful in a variety of career paths, including college, technical training, apprenticeships, and more.

For more information, contact:
Yara Cardoso
Connecting Activities Coordinator
Metro South Chamber of Commerce
60 School Street Brockton, MA 02301
(P) 508-586-0500 ext. 227
ycardoso@metrosouthchamber.com

About Connecting Activities

• Connects schools and businesses to provide structured work-based learning experiences for students
• Provides a real-world context for teaching a more relevant curriculum
• Relates students academic lessons in school with their career ambitions
• Utilizes the Massachusetts Work Based Learning Plan to guide learning and productivity on the job

PROGRAM COMPONENTS

• Employer Internships for High School Students
• School / Employer Collaborations
• Youth Workforce Skill and Career Development
• Job Shadowing Opportunities

WHO WILL BENEFIT?

Students

• Real-world experience strengthens academic performance
• Helps students graduate with workplace skills
• Provides necessary skills needed for career success
• Lowers dropout rate by engaging students

Employers

• Develops a competitive workforce
• Develops relationships with schools and community
• Provides subsidized, paid or unpaid internships
• Increases employee retention
• Opportunity to address projects that are placed on “back-burner”

Teachers

• Provides new career connections in the classroom
• Develops new and existing curriculum
• Creates new classroom activities

WORK-BASED LEARNING PLAN

• A tool designed to drive learning and productivity in jobs, internships and other work-based learning experiences
• Identifies ability level within skill areas (diagnostic)
• Drives quality of student learning and productivity (goal-setting)
• Assesses student progress (assessment)
• Click here to view the Massachusetts Work Based Learning Plan

EMPLOYER INVOLVEMENT

• Provide internships for area youth
• Utilize the Work-Based Learning Plan that promotes youth skill attainment
• Attend Chamber sponsored Employer Activities / Forums
• Promote Connecting Activities to Employer peers

   

 Additional Resources:

Even Worse For Teens
Deterioration in U.S. Young Adult Labor Market
Making the Workplace A Learning Place
Partnership for 21st Century Skills
WBLP Skills Library