Job Shadows

Credit: None

Students in grades 9-12 may gain experience in a chosen career path by participating in a job shadow placement. Job shadows are an opportunity for students to investigate a career interest through planned on-the-job visitations. Students will tour job sites to gain a better understanding of the industries and careers that may be of interest to them. Students who are interested in a job shadow placement have various opportunities to participate: individually during the school day (with proper approval by building student services staff), in the summer, during vacation days, and on building scheduled Job Shadow events. Students must have good attendance, a good discipline record, and be able to provide their own transportation for individually planned job shadow
visits.

Required Components to successful completion of an SDNB Job Shadow placement:

• Students are responsible for finding job shadow placements - please refer to the SDNB Student Job Board for possible placement opportunities
• Completion of job shadow placement paperwork and follow-up documentation

For help planning your job shadow, please refer to this document.

Service Learning Opportunities

Credit: 0.5 per semester, up to 1.0 maximum allowed per high school career

These are unpaid work experiences and/or project based service opportunities.  Service-learning asks students to use their abilities and skills to make their school, local, and global communities stronger.  Service-learning is a key strategy in developing 21st century skills which will lead to a prepared workforce and a civically engaged citizenry.  Students need to demonstrate a minimum of 40 hours per semester of service learning to receive credit.

Click here for more information on Service Learning Opportunities

Mentorship

CREDIT: .5 credits per semester
(This course is graded pass/fail)
GRADE LEVEL: 11, 12

Juniors and Seniors may gain experience in a chosen career path by participating in a mentorship placement. Mentorship is an opportunity for students who are highly motivated, self-directed and who have shown exceptional ability and interest in a particular career field, to investigate a career interest through planned on-the-job visitations in their chosen field. Students will be matched with an adult mentor working in the area of the student’s career interest. An individual plan, developed by the student, mentor and school mentorship coordinator/School Counselor will structure and guide the experience. This experience will require 40 hours in a workplace setting outside of school over the space of two terms and requires a culminating activity to receive credit. Students must have good attendance, a good discipline record, and be able to provide their own transportation.

Required Components to successful completion of an SDNB Mentorship placement:

• Students are responsible for finding employment - please refer to the SDNB Student Job Board for possible placement opportunities
• Successful completion of 40 hours per semester – including summer work experience
• Culminating activity presented to mentor and school mentorship coordinator/School Counselor

Co-Ops (supervised work placement)*

Credit: 0.5 per semester (up to 1.0 for the full year work placement)

This course is offered to juniors and seniors who want to obtain experience in the world of work. Students average 10-15 hours of paid employment per week and concentrate on the development and practice of positive work traits. Students are evaluated by their employers on attitude, quality of work, problem-solving skills, ability to get along with others, cooperation, dependability, and appearance. Students who complete a Co-Op work placement through this program can earn the Department of Public Instruction's Employability Skills Certificate.

Required Components to successful completion of an SDNB Co-Op placement:

• Students are responsible for finding employment - please refer to the SDNB Student Job Board for possible placement opportunities
• Successful completion of an average of 10 hours per week for the full year – including summer work experience
• Employment must not be a "cash job", must be taxable (must be able to present a W-2 if asked), and employer must have an insurance policy to cover any/all liabilities.

Internships*

Credit: 1.0 (for full year work placement) 

The SDNB Internship program provides students with occupational and hands-on work experience to positively impact the communities’ future workforce. The program is designed around a course sequence that provides students an opportunity to begin preparing for a career while still in high school. Students that participate in an SDNB Internship placement are required to take concurrent coursework that connects to the program areas listed below.  SDNB Internships are operated under guidelines established by the State of Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI).

Required Components to successful completion of an SDNB Internship placement:

• Students are responsible for finding employment - please refer to the SDNB Student Job Board for possible placement opportunities

• Successful completion of required 480 work hours (an average of 10 hours per week for the full year – including summer work experience)

• Successful completion of program-area courses

• Completion of DPI Competency Checklist by their employer (scoring a 2 or 3 on every competency)

Students can choose to complete an SDNB Internship placement in one of the following programs:

• Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources

• Architecture and Construction

• Business, Management, and Administration

• Education and Training

• Health Science

• Human Services

• Marketing

For additional information on the State of Wisconsin Skills Standards program, please visit the Department of Public Instruction website.

Youth Apprenticeships*

Credit: 1.0 (for full year work placement)

The Youth Apprenticeship program provides students with occupational and hands-on work experience to positively impact the communities’ future workforce. The program is designed around a course sequence that provides students an opportunity to begin preparing for a career while still in high school. Students that participate in a Youth Apprenticeship placement are required to take concurrent coursework that connects to the program areas listed below.  Youth Apprenticeships are operated under guidelines established by the State of Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD).

Required Components to successful completion of a Youth Apprenticeship placement:

• Students are responsible for finding employment - please refer to the SDNB Student Job Board for possible placement opportunities

• Successful completion of required 450 work hours (an average of 10 hours per week for the full year – including summer work experience)

• Successful completion of program-area courses

• Completion of DWD Competency Checklist by their employer (scoring a 2 or 3 on every competency)

Students can choose to complete a Youth Apprenticeship placement in one of the following programs:

• Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources

• Architecture and Construction

• Arts, A/V Technology and Communications

• Finance

• Health Science

• Hospitality, Lodging and Tourism

• Information Technology

• Manufacturing

• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)

• Transportation, Distribution and Logistic

For additional information on the Youth Apprenticeship program, please visit the Department of Workforce Development website.

Additional Resources

• Wisconsin Work-based Learning Programs - Linking Students to 21st Century Careers

• Understanding Apprenticeships in Wisconsin

• Open Enrollment - GPS Educational Partners - Hands On Learning Programs

• Post-secondary WI Apprenticeship Information  (Department of Workforce Development)
• Post-secondary WI Southeast Carpentry Apprenticeships