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Overview
ABEC was formed by Arizona's business, education, and community leaders who understand that our future economic success is directly linked to the success of our K-12 schools. Education is a shared responsibility among all community stakeholders: the family unit, the educational provider and future employers. In its commitment to improve student achievement and strengthen the state's future workforce, ABEC has realized that there is a need and strong interest from various stakeholders for more quality partnerships between schools and businesses. Such quality partnerships will ultimately lead to improved student achievement and a stronger work force of tomorrow.
Not all business leaders actively advocate for specific public policy issues; but many are interested in public K-12 schools and are willing to assist. Many businesses are looking to invest their time and money into education, but want to be certain that their investments are tied to results. Understanding that school resources are limited, and that the time businesses have to partner is valuable, ABEC committed to developing and implementing a project that excites and motivates students about their education and future world of work.
Develop the workforce in your community! ABEC's award winning Career Exploration Project!WHAT
The ABEC Middle School Career Exploration Project, in collaboration with business and community partners, introduces middle school students to different career pathways for the purpose of
- helping students better understand the relevancy and application of the courses they take in school;
- introducing information and hands-on activities that are community driven and focused on key workforce demands and career; and
- helping students understand and make wise course selections in high school.
WHY
The Career Exploration Project provides a meaningful and successful project for business and education to partner, and is designed to meet the shared common goal of preparing students to enter and succeed in the workforce. ABEC wants all Arizona high school graduates to be prepared for either postsecondary education or the workforce and so recognizes that there must be a focus on the "forgotten middle" -- those years when our youth start to make informed or uninformed decisions about their futures. Business partners are eager to participate because this project provides them a meaningful role in shaping career modules and providing classroom presentations and hands-on activities that support students in recognizing and pursuing careers that will help meet future economic and workforce demands.
WHO
ABEC specifically targets schools with limited capacity to implement career exploration activities on a large scale, providing a successful framework for businesses to partner with schools.
HOW
- Collaboration with Business Partnerships to leverage expertise and resources and provide career exploration activities aligned with future workforce needs.
- Career Exploration Activities customized to meet the needs of each school, the students they serve, and participating business partners.
- Professional Development to prepare teachers in implementing career exploration software/curriculum.
- Parent Engagement including parent meetings, surveys, and activities related to the career exploration project.
Join ABEC today and become a SUSTAINING PARTNER of this exciting project that provides your business a direct role in developing your workforce of tomorrow!
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Over these first six years the Career Exploration Project has delivered close to a 1,000 hours of direct career exploration activities, through 90 unique career modules, to over 2,400 middle school students. It is estimated that 200+ businesses and community partners have participated in the project through financial and/or in-kind support, classroom presentations, and field trip opportunities. The financial and in-kind support from participating business partners exceeds $250,000.
"Middle school students need to start connecting to their own personal vision for what career or work they like and want to do and connect that vision with their education. The ABEC Career Exploration Project is a successful and meaningful model for business-education partnerships that is positively impacting the lives of students." ~ Gina Schmitz, Principal, Landmark School, Glendale Elementary School District.
AWARDS and RECOGNITIONS
It can be argued that one way to measure success is whether the project can garner news media interest; win local, state, or national awards or recognition; or that students in the project are also participating in or winning local, regional, state or national competitions. Proudly, the Career Exploration Project can boast success in all of these areas as the project has grown and expanded over the past six years.
- Landmark School was awarded first runner-up for the prestigious WestMarc Best of the West, Educational Program Award in November 2017.
- ABEC received the ACPE 2017 Pathways Award for the AMSCEP at the ACPE Higher Education 13th Annual Conference in December 2017.
- In 2016 and 2017, two Landmark teams, as part of the IT Modules, participated in the First Lego League Robotics regional competition. In 2017, Sunset Vista also had two teams from the IT Module participate in a regional competition.
- In 2016 and 2017, the Landmark Health Module partnered with the Moon Valley High School student health care club, AzHOSA, and students competed both years at the state convention winning top awards and the opportunity for students to compete each year at the national competition in Florida and Texas respectively.
- The Arizona Chapter of the Associated General Contractors Young Constructors Forum received the 2017 Associated General Contractors’ Community Special Recognition Award for work with and support of the Landmark Construction Module.
- The Landmark Fire CERT Module received a 2017 FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness (ICP) Awards Honorable Mention.
Download the 6-year summary report.
See what the students are doing!
For more information on this exciting opportunity contact:
Debra Raeder
Vice President Program DevelopmentABEC Career Readiness Project
2100 N. Central Avenue, Suite 210
Phoenix, AZ 85004
602-264-8426
debra@azbec.org