Sierra Career Partnership offers an array of activities to prepare today's students for the career and education opportunities of tomorrow. Educators, employers, and other community leaders are working together to expand career development, improve curriculum, and provide opportunities for students to explore potential careers. The Partnership's activities are tools for employers to help develop and educate their future workforce and for educators to blend academic and career education, helping students succeed in their transition from school to career.

Sierra Career Partnership promotes intergrating classroom academics with practical, real world experiences. Students gain a first-hand understanding of careers and environments by exploring careers through interaction with the business community. This type of experience promotes higher levels of achievement by making learning meaningful. Students learn from business partners what is expected from them in the workforce and see how classroom learning applies directly to the world of work. They are also introduced to a variety of career options and learn the levels of skill and education required for those careers. Students leave school better prepared for and more focused on their careers. Together students, educators, and businesses can enrich and expand classroom learning by participating in career exploration activities.

informational interviewing

Students interview business partners, asking questions about their career experiences. By learning about the career and educational choices these business partners have made, students gain insight into their own career options.

job shadowing

Students spend time, typically 3-4 hours, one-on-one with a business partner at the worksite. The experience provides students with a direct look into the world of work and the range of career opportunities available to them.

mentorships

A mentorship is a formal, ongoing relationship between a student and business partner role model who provides support and encouragement. Mentors serve as resources to students, providing career insight and guidance based on personal experience.

internships

Students work for a designated period of time to gain skills and experience in a particular industry or occupation. The internship allows students to apply classroom theories to practical issues and to more thoroughly explore career options at the worksite.

service learning

Service learning is an opportunity for students to meet a real community need through an activity or project which is coordinated with a community agency, another school or the community at large. These opportunities are integrated with curriculum to 'tie in' tasks and outcomes with education and provide a structured time for reflection as well as to foster civic responsibility.

guest speakers

Business partners representing various careers are an effective method of bringing workplace learning into the school setting through speaking engagements and discussions. Speakers describe their occupations, the necessary preparation, required knowledge and other information students need to know to make career decisions.

work site tours

Businesses host classes, providing a tour of the worksite and an overview of the organization's jobs, products, and services. This opportunity allows business partners to be directly involved in outreach to students.

educator job shadows/internships

Educators spend time at businesses to further enhance their classroom curriculum with workplace experiences. This opportunity provides professional development, technical assistance, training and support.