CTE Work Based Learning Opportunities

Several programs that can provide students with “hands-on” experience with an area employer. These programs can be as short as 20 hours or can last up to an entire school year, depending on what best fits a student’s needs. At the worksite, a student will have the opportunity to ask questions, gain valuable experience and earn a great reference that can help in the future.

Internship

This placement is tied to the student’s Career and Technical Education Program at GST BOCES. The student will work with his or her instructor and work experience coordinator to determine which worksite is best and how long the internship will last. The instructor will base his or her decision on the student’s attendance, attitude and performance in class.

Generally, an internship lasts two weeks, though some may continue for several months. The student reports to the worksite instead of BOCES during assigned times. Some placements include time outside of school hours.

Internships are unpaid and transportation is usually the responsibility of the student, although sometimes it is possible to arrange bus transportation through the home school district.

Participating employers from the Southern Tier include area hospitals, governmental agencies, non-profit agencies and a wide range of private business and industry sites. While not an expectation, many students are offered jobs by their worksite supervisors because of the positive attributes they’ve displayed while on their internships.

Cooperative Work Experience

Outstanding students may qualify to participate in a paid cooperative work experience as part of their career training. Students will be selected based on skills, attendance, grades and maturity. This experience lasts a minimum of 200 hours and may occur during the summer or at a time mutually agreed upon by the student, school and employer. A credit toward graduation also may be awarded. An individual training plan will be created with specific academic and technical skill objectives which will be updated as the need arises.
The student will be responsible for keeping a daily log with information and skills accomplished during the work experience.

First Year Experience - Wildwood campus only

In addition to the Corning Community College ACE courses listed under specific CTE programs throughout this catalog, Wildwood also offers students the opportunity to enroll in FYEX 1000. FYEX 1000 is a CCC required college course that facilitates intellectual and social integration of first year students into the academic community. The course provides specific methods and strategies which students may adopt to promote personal growth and success both in the college environment and throughout life.

FYEX 1000 students are released from their CTE program for one to two hours each week in order to fulfill the 45-hour college course requirement. Interested students must apply to a committee of teachers and administrators in order to be selected for this course.

Unique Careers Placement Program
 
If a student is interested in a career area not offered by GST BOCES, they may apply for placement in the Unique Careers Program.

Past examples include placements in such career areas as banking, athletic trainer, programmer, legal assistant, engineering and veterinary technician. Together with the worksite supervisor and BOCES work experience coordinator, students develop an individualized training plan that outlines objectives, job-specific outcomes, responsibilities and expectations. This experience usually lasts one or two semesters and includes career-related instruction. Students complete timesheets and a daily journal that are collected by the coordinator, as well as regular evaluations completed by the worksite supervisor.

Capstone Program - Bush campus only

This program is provided for outstanding seniors in the second half of the final year of their Career and Technical Education program. Qualified students, if given the opportunity to work in their field of training, are encouraged to take this step. It is realized that not all students progress at the same rate and some possess entry-level skills before they complete their CTE program. Capstone benefits students by helping them achieve their employment objective earlier than otherwise possible.

Local employers have the advantage of recruiting highly-qualified personnel while they are still students. Both the community and local employers profit by helping to develop productive citizens and encouraging them to remain in the community after graduation.
Criteria affecting the Capstone Program include:

• Students must be recommended by their instructor.
• The home school program must not be adversely affected.
• Arrangements for evaluation of student progress must be agreed upon by all involved.
• Students will be required to take a final exam for the course.
• The instructor will be responsible for all related trade theory required of the student and for establishing 10-week grades based on the employer’s evaluation and other responsibilities required of the student.