Through our School/Business Connecting Activities grant, the Chamber recruits area employers to participate in school-to-career activities such as job shadowing, mentoring, internships, group tours and more. E-mail your questions about School/Business Connecting Activities to ehowe@newbedfordchamber.com.

What is Connecting Activities?

Connecting Activities ties together both work-based and school-based learning.  Connecting Activities includes opportunities and activities that draw upon real-life work experiences and observations that are jointly created by employers and educators.  Connecting Activities strives to integrate the educational needs of youth and the workforce needs of employers.

Who are the partners?

Connecting Activities involves:
- All students
- Educators
- Employers and Community Members

Who Benefits from participating and Why?

Student Benefits
- Allows students to make more informed decisions regarding career pursuits and college studies.
- Focuses students on developing the competencies for success.
- Inspires stronger academic performance with real-world learning.
- Enables students to explore interests in career possibilities by building relationships with potential employers.

Educator Benefits
- Gives teachers a realistic perspective of today’s workplace and the skills students will need to succeed.
- Provide educators with the opportunity to gather relevant information to aid in the design of curriculum.
- Increases teachers’ awareness and knowledge of labor market trends including changing work competencies and attitudes.
- Gives educators the opportunity to develop personal connections with business professionals.

Employer and Community Member Benefits
- Provides an opportunity to make a positive impact on classroom curriculum and instructional practices.
- Improves the skill level of the workforce and the overall quality of life in the community.
- Creates relationships with schools to assist and support workforce development.
- Contributes to increasing the educational attainment within the community.

Role of the Work-Based Learning Plan

The Work-Based Learning Plan is a tool developed by the Massachusetts Department of Education that is used to structure and evaluate work-based learning experiences. The Work-Based Learning Plan benefits educators by providing a tool with which they can assess student skill gain and knowledge.

The Work-Based Learning Plan benefits employers and community members by providing a system which:
- Structures work experience
- Measures student’s job performance
- Enables employers to connect with students in order to create a successful experience.
 
Services provided by Connecting Activities

- Internships: students spend several weeks at a work site related to their career interest.
- Teacher Externships: teachers spend several hours/weeks at a worksite related to their field of interest or instruction.
- Training: technical assistance regarding the use of the Work-Based Learning Plan.
- Guest Speakers: professionals speak to a group of students about work-based experiences for 30-80 minutes.
- Job Shadows: students explore career choices by observing work sites for a few hours or one day.
- Career Panels: 3-6 professionals within the same career area speak to a group of students about the various careers available within a specific career field.
- Industry Tours: a group of students escorted by school staff tour a business and speak with employees at the business.
- Mock Industry Projects: professionals work with educators to create hands-on learning projects in the classroom.

How can you get involved?

If you are a student…Contact your guidance counselor or a School to Career Coordinator in your school. If you are an educator or an employer…Contact a Connecting Activities staff member. Connecting Activities Staff

Connecting Activities staff are located at:

New Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce
794 Purchase Street
New Bedford, MA 02742
Tel 508-999-5231 ext.5
Fax: 508-999-5237

Elizabeth Howe
School/Business Partnership Coordinator
Email: ehowe@newbedfordchamber.com